Romeo and Roxanne
by DisneyFanatic2364
Summary: AU. He was the supervillain, she was the new reporter. They weren't meant to have anything to do with each other, until a night changes everything. They didn't know where it was going, only that no one would approve.
1. The New Reporter

**Sorry I've been out for a while, but there's been the holidays. And yes, I haven't finished my other story, but I've reached a wall at the ending. This is another AU which came to mind based on one of the reviews I received. This story has kind of a Romeo and Juliet theme and some of the scenes will be based on the play. Anyway, the first couple of chapters sort of set the scene. Let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Megamind (I wish).**

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><p>Megamind nearly dropped the remote at the sight of the reporter on the TV in his prison cell. He had tuned into KMCP News before, but the young woman reporting was new. She looked at least twenty-five, close to his age. For some reason, he could not take his eyes off her. She was gorgeous, with her pixie-cut brown hair, stunning blue eyes and perfect figure. He was so enthralled, he had lost track of what the whole report was about.<p>

He shook these thoughts out of his head. What was he doing? He had never paid attention to human beauty before, even if she was beautiful…

Her voice took him out of reality again as he continued to stare. He didn't catch her name at the closing of her report, for the warden was coming down the hall with the watch he had asked Minion to send for his escape.

Unfortunately, his giant robot attack that afternoon failed miserably as usual, and his rival, Metro Man, had him hanging by his cape, showing him off to the paparazzi at the steps of City Hall. The villain crossed his arms in a pout as cliché questions were thrown at the hero.

"Metro Man, how do you feel to have defeated Megamind yet again?"

"Metro Man, is there a damsel in your life?"

"Metro Man, are you as awesome as they say?"

"Metro Man, do you think Megamind is not as smart as he brags since you always outsmart him?"

_I'm hanging right here, you know,_ he wanted to say, but didn't. No one would care anyway. He turned his head when he heard someone step forward. Strange, usually they wouldn't stand to be close to him, despite him being in the hero's grasp. His eyes widened when he saw who had ventured forth.

It was _her_. The new reporter for KMCP News. She was much prettier in person.

"Metro Man," she said in a smooth, honey-like voice, holding out her mic to him, "will you be fixing the damage the robot caused?"

The hero appeared stunned, and so was the apprehended villain. None had asked if the one who had saved the day would be cleaning up afterwards. That was the job of the construction workers. Metro Man then smiled and winked.

"I'll do anything for the good of the helpless people of Metro City!"

Megamind noticed that the reporter's smile waned a bit, as if that wasn't the answer she had been expecting. When she took returned to the crowd, her eyes flitted towards him. After about a minute, she looked back, their eyes locking together. He was shocked when she didn't flinch.

_Has she noticed I've been staring? Why is she not scared? God, her eyes are lovely…_

He then came to his senses and averted his gaze from her.

She appeared again on the news later that night as he sat in his cell.

"_As you can see," _she reported, gesturing to the smashed robot behind her, "_Metro Man has achieved yet another victory and Megamind is behind bars once again._"

She glanced behind her at the maintenance crew, appearing to be waiting for something.

"_Anyway, our city's savior said he would assist us with the clean-up, but I'm sure he has a good excuse. Perhaps he's coming up with a way for Megamind to stay in jail this time, since he lets him roam about the streets instead of arresting him the minute he breaks out._"

Megamind's mouth dropped open. Had she just said something negative about the hero while live? He couldn't think such a thing possible!

"_But I'm sure he's busy with his time, saving the city and doing what's right, because that's what a hero does._"

He shrugged. He knew it was too good to be true. He still couldn't stop staring into those gorgeous eyes, shining as bright as sapphires. _I need to know who she is_, he thought. _Come on, give me a name!_

"_This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live from the site of Metro Man's latest victory_."

He sighed dreamily. _Roxanne Ritchi_, he thought. _Her name is as beautiful as her eyes._

* * *

><p>Roxanne signaled for her new cameraman, Hal, to cut. When she had been promoted from intern to field reporter only yesterday, she had been excited. The only thing that ruined it had been when she saw Hal. She wasn't one to judge a book by its cover, but as soon as she had laid eyes on his pudgy face and short, rotund body, something had made her want to cringe. The look he had given her hadn't been so comforting either.<p>

"Not bad for a rookie," he complimented, setting the camera back into the van. "Just FYI, the station doesn't usually like it when you trash talk Metro Man."

"I wasn't trash talking him!" she protested. "I was just stating the facts. It seems kind of strange to me that Metro Man doesn't take Megamind back to jail until he does something threatening, which wouldn't have happened if he had caught him in the first place!"

Her cell phone rang as she got a call from her boss.

"Hello, Mr. Stubbs."

"Miss Ritchi," Mr. Stubbs said on the other end, "I know you just started working, but we'd appreciate it if you not add negative comments on the city's hero."

"But it's so true!"

"All the same, keep the reports on Metro Man positive and, I don't know, act like he's the most amazing person in the world. Viewers like that."

"Okay, I'll do that."

Hal smirked as she hung up.

"I told you so. Hey, do you want to maybe get a coffee or something? I know this great place and…"

Roxanne could tell she had made an impression on him, but she didn't want to get involved with any guys for a while, not since Benjamin.

"That's sweet, Hal," she assured him. "But I'm gonna pass. I'm a little tired. It's only my second day, after all."

"Okay," the cameraman shrugged, but clearly disappointed. "Can I at least drive you home?"

She couldn't say no to that. She hadn't taken her car anyway.

* * *

><p>When Roxanne was back in her apartment, she took out her collection of old newspapers, most of them with Metro Man in the headlines. It was not that she had had an obsession, but she had known the hero, alias Wayne Scott, in high school and felt a sort of pride for him. Besides, if she was going to be doing stories on him, she had to keep the background information. She came across one with the headline "Megamind Behind Bars Once Again," a picture of the villain as said, a sinister smile on his face.<p>

It had been odd earlier that day when she had noticed the captured criminal looking at her. At first, she had thought it was simply because she had stepped forward and drawn attention to herself. Then when she had glanced back a short time later, her eyes had met his and she couldn't help but realize how bright and green they were. What surprised her was that they weren't sinister eyes, like in the picture in front of her, but soft, gentle eyes, with a bit of shock in them. She had never seen such eyes…

She shook her head wildly and hid the newspaper among the others. People would call her crazy if they knew what she was thinking right now.

Her doorbell rang and Roxanne slid the pile back into its box before answering. Standing in the doorway was a woman resembling the reporter, aside from being a few years younger and having long hair tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes were stained form tears, and in her hands, suitcases.

"Rachel," Roxanne said. "What's the matter, sis?"

"Brad kicked me out," she stated.

The older sibling gave her a hug. She remembered how her sister had moved in with her college boyfriend after graduation.

"I'm so sorry, Rach. Did he say why?"

"He dumped me for some…you would probably tell Mom on me for saying that word!"

Roxanne chuckled. "You're twenty-two years old, Rach. You can curse if it will make you feel better."

Her sister gave a small smile. "It won't, so no thanks. Anyway, I need a place to stay until I have enough money to get my own apartment."

"You can stay here as long as you like, Rach."

"Thanks, Roxie. You're a really great sister."

"Here, sit on the couch."

They did so, and the younger Ritchi took a minute to recuperate herself, wiping away a few tears.

"I guess we're even now, huh?" she giggled sadly. "I mean you and Benjamin…"

Roxanne held up her hand. "Let's not talk about my issues right now."

"It's been two months, though. I think you should get back in the game and see other people. You're a reporter now. How about hooking up with Metro Dork?"

"Rachel! That's mean! You know Wayne is an old school friend and nothing more."

"Then why do you call him Wayne?"

"It's not like nobody knows who he is!"

"I'm just teasing, Roxie. To be honest, I don't think he's you're type."

Roxanne didn't think he was either. Alright, so maybe she had thought it was exciting to be a childhood friend of the resident superhero at first, but she and Wayne rarely talked anymore. Then when she had asked outright if he was going to take responsibility and clean up the wreckage he had taken some part in, he didn't respond right away and his answer had been disappointing.

Right now, she was interested in Megamind. Not in the way women were usually interested in men, but she wondered what his story was. The news hardly said anything about him and the stuff she had read at the library all sounded like nonsense. The authors of those books about him had made up fantasies and said they were nonfiction. And when she had looked him in the eyes, she saw something more than just a villain.

But she didn't have time to think about her interests right now. Her sister had only recently been heartbroken and she had to be there to comfort her.

Then her phone rang and Roxanne groaned as she read the caller ID.

"Mom, this isn't a good time."

"_I saw your report on Metro Man._"

She rolled her eyes. "Can we talk about this later? Rachel's just been…"

"_Honestly, Roxanne, how are you ever going to snag him if you're saying nasty things about him?_"

"Okay, one: they weren't nasty. Two: I've told you I don't want to date him!"

"_Well, you should. You're not getting any younger, Roxanne, and this glorious hero seems like your best choice. At least give him a chance, honey._"

She sighed. Her mother was obviously never going to stop pestering her unless she agreed to it.

"Okay, Ma, I'll give him a chance. Now I think you should talk to Rachel. She has something to talk to you about."

"I'll take this in the other room," Rachel whispered.

As her sister started to explain things to their mother, Roxanne was deep in thought. It's true she hadn't dated in two months, but after what had happened with Benjamin, she was worried that it would happen again with someone else. Maybe Wayne wasn't that bad, but she still didn't think he was the guy for her.

It's strange. She had always dreamed of a Romeo coming in to sweep her off her feet, and Metro Man seemed like that kind of man. But somehow, she felt he wasn't the sort of Romeo she was looking for.

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><p><strong>Reviews are appreciated! Yes, Rachel Ritchi is in here too. She likes to pop up every now and then. I can't get rid of her! Maybe that's cuz I don't want to. Heh.<strong>


	2. Masquerade

**I'll bet you're wondering why they're not teenagers. I don't know, I just couldn't seem to place Megamind anywhere if they were in high school and she wouldn't notice him. So they're just a few years younger than they appear in the movie.**

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><p>It had been a month since the lovely new reporter had caught his eye and Megamind had hardly missed one of her reports, despite him breaking out and failing at an evil plot thrice in that period. He hadn't told Minion about his latest obsession, for he knew he would nag him about it. Not a single one of her reports had a flaw in it. She was…perfect.<p>

Then one day, he saw her doing an interview with Metro Man and Megamind immediately scowled, but softened when his eyes turned to her.

"_How do you suggest we keep our city clean?_" Roxanne asked the hero.

"_Well, Roxie,_" Metro Man winked, "_I think if we all work together, we can clean up all the garbage in this city!_"

She paused before continuing. "_New Year's Eve is tomorrow. Do you have any resolutions?_"

"_I resolute to maybe find a girl and settle down. Are you interested?_"

Megamind scowled again. He was hitting on _his _Roxanne! Wait, why was he calling her that? Then he glanced at the reporter and could have sworn she was trying not to cringe.

"_Speaking of New Year's_," Metro Man said into the camera, "_there's a masquerade party going on over at the Scott Mansion on New Year's Eve and I'm gonna be there. All of Metro City is invited!_"

The villain rolled his eyes. Everyone knew Metro Man's secret identity, even if he was pretending he wasn't Wayne Scott.

"_Well, I'm sure it will be the biggest bash of the year_," said Roxanne. "_Thank you, Metro Man, for your time._"

"_It's been my pleasure, Roxie_."

Megamind's eyes burned with jealousy as the hero kissed her hand before flying off. Roxanne looked shocked for a second but then put on a fake smile.

"_It looks like it's going to be another great year in Metro City with our hero watching over us. This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live from an exclusive interview with Metro Man._"

He slumped in his chair as the news went to commercial. He didn't like the fact that his rival seemed interested in Miss Ritchi. But then again, what was the point of him watching her on TV every day? He could never really meet her. He was the villain after all. Still, he could dream, couldn't he?

Then his ears picked up a faint beeping on the other side of the wall and he grinned with delight. _Minion, you fantastic fish, you,_ was his last thought before the wall exploded into debris.

* * *

><p>The pair of criminals cackled as they entered the abandoned warehouse.<p>

"Oh, I tell you, Minion!" Megamind said to his fish friend. "There's no place like Evil Lair!"

"I kept it cold and damp, just for you, sir," Minion assured him.

After he had slipped out of his orange jumpsuit and into his evil outfit, he was met with a swarm of excited Brainbots. He threw them a wrench so they would be kept busy.

"So what's the plan this time, sir?" his minion asked. "You didn't give me anything to work with before your last arrest."

"I want to take a break before our next evil plot, Minion," Megamind explained, swinging into his leather chair. "It is the holidays, after all, and I had to spend _Chris-moss_ in jail."

"That's what you get for trying to steal everyone's Christmas presents the night before."

"What? It was fun until Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes ruined it all!"

"By the way, sir, I found something interesting in the paper today."

He held the issue up and Megamind's heart sank. The headline read "New Year Kicks off with New Couple," and under it was a picture of his nemesis flying with Roxanne Ritchi in his arms.

"Apparently, Metro Man has become involved with this new reporter," Minion observed. "If he has a girlfriend, maybe we could use her as bait to lure Metro Man into our plots!"

He'd have to use that beautiful woman as _bait_? For some reason, that didn't sit right for him. But what else could he do? She had chosen his rival, and that didn't seem to make any sense either. She hadn't looked that interested earlier, but looks can be deceiving.

Minion had been excited that he had come up with a brilliant idea for his boss, but that feeling faded when he saw the blue alien's sad expression.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Megamind said, shaking it off. "Good idea, Minion. I'll think about it."

Then he recalled something Metro Man had said on television and brightened up.

"Minion, how would you like to have some fun on New Year's Eve?"

* * *

><p>Roxanne screamed when she saw the morning newspaper coming home that night.<p>

"Shocked that they found your dirty little secret, huh?" Rachel taunted, coming into the room while eating a yogurt. She was still living with her, paying half of the rent with her money from her job at the restaurant.

"This is a lie!" Roxanne insisted. "Wayne was offering me a lift home the other day and I didn't see any harm in it. I didn't know someone had a camera!"

"Relax, Roxie." Rachel joined her on the couch. "I hardly believe anything the news says, except for when you're reporting it. By the way, I've made us costumes for the New Year's party! Wait until you see them. We're gonna look fabulous! I love how we don't reveal ourselves until midnight! No one will recognize us at all!"

"We're not going, are we?"

"Of course we're going! Sure, Metro Man can be a bit annoying, but this is the perfect opportunity for us to get back in the game and meet someone nice!"

"Not this thing again! I'm not ready!"

"It's been three months and one for me! I'm over Brad and it's time you get over Benjamin!"

"I don't know. Now that everyone thinks I'm dating Wayne, I don't think anyone would dare try."

"Like I said, you'll be wearing a mask and no one will recognize you, not even Metro Man with his x-ray vision!" When her sister said nothing, she realized the problem. "I get it. You're afraid it will be Benjamin all over again. It's time to move on, girl! What happened with Benjamin was his fault, not yours. I'll tell you what. How about we play a little game?"

"What sort of game?"

"You tell me what qualities you want in a guy, and I'll tell you what qualities I want in a guy. That way, we can help search for each other's perfect match at the party!"

"I don't know, sis."

"Come on! If you don't think Metro Man is your type, what is your type?"

Roxanne thought for a moment. "Well, he'd have to be smart, I guess."

"How smart? Be more specific."

"Well, maybe not a super genius, but at least someone who meets my intellectual level."

"So you _are_ looking for a super genius."

The older sister chuckled. "He should also be funny enough to make me laugh."

"That's true. You don't laugh that often anymore, I mean really laugh."

"We should share the same interests. Not all of them, but some so we have something to talk about. He should also be sensitive and romantic."

"How sensitive and romantic are we talking?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess he'd read me poetry, take me on picnics, bring me flowers…you know, the typical stuff."

"Okay, my turn. Let's see. My guy should also be funny and romantic, I suppose. He'd be sweet enough to bring me gifts. Simple gifts, not like diamonds and rubies. He'd cook me delicious meals, except seafood!"

This time, Roxanne did laugh.

"What? I hate seafood! My perfect guy cannot be a fish eater either! Okay, last but not least, the guy would have to be…"

"Out of this world," Roxanne finished with her. "We're all looking for a Romeo."

"Technically," Rachel said, "Metro Man is out of this world, because he's an alien."

"You know what I mean, Rach."

"But if it's Metro Man you don't want, Megamind is an alien too."

Roxanne gaped at her. "You can't be serious!"

"Why not? You said you want a guy with brains, and his is enormous! And I suppose he's funny. That so-called 'witty banter' he and Metro Man do is kind of silly. As for romantic, who knows? They say bad boys know how to please a woman."

"Rachel, stop it!"

Her sister giggled. "I'm only kidding, Roxanne! Still, promise me you'll try and find someone new at the party?"

"Alright, as long as you don't bring up Megamind ever again!"

"No problem. Mom would kill you anyway. In fact, she'd kill you if you were dating anyone who wasn't Metro Man. That means yours might be a forbidden love! You want a Romeo, right? He and Juliet met at a party and theirs was a forbidden love!"

"That's not what I meant."

"All the same, it's possible, right?"

* * *

><p>On New Year's Eve, Megamind handed Minion one of the holowatches he had made adjustments to.<p>

"Are you sure about this, sir?" the fish asked. "Crashing parties isn't what we normally do."

"Who says mega villains can't have fun, too?" Megamind argued. "He won't even know we're there, Minion. I've made new holograms for both of us! Everyone else is in disguise, after all."

They simultaneously turned the dial on their watches. Megamind became a human wearing a black suit and a white mask covering half his face. Minion found it oddly appropriate. Then he glanced in the mirror and found himself as a human in a merman costume, complete with a golden crown, long fake beard and blue mask. His brown eyes were the only thing that hadn't changed.

"You were right, sir," Minion observed. "I don't even recognize us. Though why am I a mermaid?"

"I believe the term is mer_man_, Minion. And it's because you're a fish, so you can act the part easily."

"Sir, I still think this is a bad idea."

"Yes! This is a very wickedly bad idea for the greater good of bad!"

"Not what I meant, sir. What if we get caught?"

"Then we get out of there as fast as we can. In the meantime, we'll have the time of our lives!"

The truth was he wanted to get Roxanne Ritchi out of his mind. Even if she would be at the party, she'd be wearing a mask and at least her beautiful face wouldn't distract him.

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><p><strong>It gets better, trust me!<strong>


	3. At First Sight

**The party scene was getting lengthly, so I split it into two. Anyway, there's a bit of the modern Romeo and Juliet movie with Leonardo DiCaprio in it. See if you can spot it. I've also taken stuff from my other stories. I hope this chapter is okay.**

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><p>The Scott Mansion was flooded with people in costumes and masks. The only one who wasn't disguised was Metro Man, who was wearing a fur-lined cape over his usual uniform. Everyone was begging for his autograph or, in the ladies' case, fawning over him.<p>

He was searching the room for Roxanne, but didn't use his x-ray vision, for that would've been immoral of him. He wanted to apologize for the headlines the other day and to officially ask if she wanted to be his girlfriend. He remembered Roxanne from high school and they had been good friends. He did like her, but he wasn't sure if they would make it as a couple. If she didn't want to, it was fine with him. Besides, if they did become an item, Roxanne might be in danger of Megamind. He couldn't do that to her, but there was no harm in asking.

Meanwhile, nearly all the men in front hall went silent as two masked women entered the mansion. The younger one was dressed as a green mermaid with a Speedo swimsuit top and shells in her hair. The older attracted most eyes. She wore a flowing white strapless ball gown with a mask and angel wings to match. On top of the long, curly brown wig sat a gold ring for a halo. There was a series of murmurs in the crowd.

"Who are those two?"

"Where did they get such fantastic costumes?"

"I wonder if one of them will dance with me."

The Ritchi sisters chuckled.

"I told you they'd have no idea," Rachel said.

"You were right," Roxanne nodded. "This wig is so itchy, though!"

"Your super short hair is extremely recognizable. You don't want Metro Man to bother you, do you?"

"I guess so. These costumes you made are amazing! You always did want to be a fashion designer. But I thought you didn't like seafood."

"Just because I don't eat seafood doesn't mean I don't like sea creatures!"

A short, pudgy, redheaded vampire blocked their path. Even with the black mask, they could clearly tell it was Hal.

"Hey there," he said. "Would one of you pretty ladies want to dance?"

The sisters cringed.

"No thanks," Rachel replied. "We don't like vampires."

They didn't see the two men dressed as King Neptune and the Phantom of the Opera enter the party, the latter glancing around excitedly.

"I've never been to a masquerade party before!" he exclaimed. "It's even better than I had imagined!"

The music didn't bother him at all. He had had his stereo up much louder than that. But Minion covered his holographic ears.

"Though does the music have to be up so loud?"

"What was that, Minion? I can't hear you! The music is up too loud! Isn't it glorious?"

"I suppose. How long is this going to take, sir?"

"What?"

"I said how long are we gonna be here?"

"Until someone catches us, of course! I'm going to get something to drink."

On the other side of the room, Roxanne was standing against the wall, refusing at least ten dance invitations. Rachel was off dancing with some werewolf. Roxanne watched as her partner said something and her sister stormed off angrily after slapping his furry head as it spun backwards.

"Some men can be so fresh!" she grunted, joining her sibling. "That's the last time I dance with the wolves!" Roxanne giggled. "What are you doing over here alone, Roxie?"

"I'm just not in the mood for dancing."

"That's right. You and Benjamin used to go to clubs all the time."

"Yep. Being in a room full of dancing people brings back memories."

"Well, time to make some new memories. Go on! Get your flirt on!"

"Okay, after I get a drink."

But she stopped at a fish tank built into the wall and sighed as she watched the little creatures swim about their habitat. They had no romantic issues. They were only fish, after all.

Then on the other side, she met a pair of glowing green eyes. They were the most brilliant eyes she had ever seen and looked strangely familiar. The owner wore a Phantom of the Opera mask, and he seemed surprised. After a few seconds, she smiled at him through the glass and he grinned in return.

Minion found his master staring at the fish instead of standing by the punch bowl. He gently tapped his shoulder.

"Um, sir?"

Megamind jumped and turned to his friend. "Minion, don't do that!"

"The punch bowl is over there, sir. What are you doing?"

"I was, um, just observing the fish here. They're very colorful, but nothing compared to you, old friend!"

He then noticed the angel with stunning blue eyes make her way to the buffet table. He sighed dreamily.

"Minion," he whispered to his friend, "who is that remarkable creature?"

The fish was shocked at the question. "Who? The leopard woman over there?"

"No, you dimwitted creation of science! I mean that angel sent from above."

He then saw the woman in the angel costume as well. He looked at her and then back at his master, who was staring in awe. His boss had never been attracted to a human before, which made this a very bad thing.

"Sir, I know what you're thinking, and I must warn you, it will only lead to trouble."

"I must have her, Minion," the villain declared. "I must know who she is. Go seek her name!"

"But sir…"

"I gave you an order!"

He couldn't argue with that, so he ran off.

Roxanne kept glancing back at the man with shining green eyes and realized he was looking at her as well. Something about the look he was giving her was alluring. She snapped out of her daze as her sister walked up beside her, but not quick enough for Rachel to see where she had been staring.

"Who's the mysterious Phantom of the Opera?" she inquired.

"I have no idea," Roxanne replied.

"He's not that bad looking."

"Have you seen his eyes? They're like emeralds."

Rachel raised an eyebrow at her sister. She always knew that deep inside, Roxanne was a romantic, but she had never heard her speak the part.

"Why don't you go and see if he wants a dance?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No, I couldn't."

"Hmm, you're right. He's coming over here instead."

She looked up and realized her sister was correct. She was about to say something to her, but she had left her alone with the approaching mystery man.

"Happy New Year, miss," he said in a low, husky voice as he poured himself some punch.

It took a while for her to respond. "Happy New Year to you, too."

He playfully clinked his glass with hers and took a sip.

"By the way," he said, "were you injured, perchance?"

Roxanne blinked. "Injured?"

"When you fell from Heaven, of course," he explained, gesturing at her costume.

She glanced down at her dress and chuckled. "Clever. You're not going to take me down to your underground lair, are you?"

The stranger appeared panicked for a moment, but then laughed. "That wouldn't make sense. I haven't had a lair underground in months."

Now they were both laughing, and the disguised villain found that hers was enchanting.

"Wow," he uttered.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just like that wonderful laugh of yours."

Roxanne could feel her heart racing as she brushed an artificial curl out of her face.

"That's not your real hair, is it?"

"How'd you guess?"

"I'm an excellent judge as to what's real and what's fake." _I fake all the time, after all,_ he thought to himself. "So may I ask your name, miss?"

She smirked. "We're not supposed to reveal ourselves until midnight. That's why the wig. My hair is very recognizable and there are people I'm trying to avoid."

"Very well, then. Only makes the evening more intriguing."

She was blushing like crazy now as the tone of his voice sent a chill up her spine.

"Would you care to dance?" he inquired.

"I'd love to."

While sipping her punch, Rachel watched the stranger take her sister to the dance floor. She was happy that Roxanne was moving on now and starting to forget all about Benjamin. Suddenly, her drink sloshed out of its glass as someone bumped into her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, miss!" a voice exclaimed.

"No, it's alright," Rachel assured him. "It was a simple mist…"

Her heart skipped a beat as she met a pair of widening autumn brown eyes. The man wore a King Neptune outfit similar to her mermaid one. Rachel felt as if it was fate giving her a sign.

"Hello," she said, grinning.

"H-hello, miss," the man stuttered. "I'm really sorry about bumping into you like that."

"It's nothing to worry about, silly fish."

If he wasn't stunned before, he certainly was now. "What?"

"Your costume."

Minion glanced down and remembered he was in disguise. "Oh, right."

"It's really good. Guys don't usually dress up as mermaids. Excuse me, mer_men_. I find that very attractive."

He really wasn't sure what to say. "Why…thank you. Y-your costume's amazing too. Where'd you get it?"

"Oh, I made it."

"Really?"

"Well, I made the tail, anyway. The top is from my swimsuit."

"That's great! You know, because…I make outfits as well."

"No kidding? Did you make this one?"

"No, actually. I, uh, didn't have time to make my own, so I just bought this one."

"Oh, well that's okay."

Minion grinned at the pretty mermaid, but then out of the corner of his eye, he saw his master dancing with that girl and remembered what he was supposed to be doing.

"Excuse me, miss," he said, pointing at the girl. "By any chance would you know who that woman is?"

Rachel looked in his direction. "You mean the one in the angel costume?"

"Yes, do you know her name? It's important that I find out."

She hesitated. "You promise you won't spread it around?"

"I won't tell the world, if that's what you mean."

"That's my sister, Roxanne."

Minion nearly shrieked. "Roxanne? As in Roxanne Ritchi, reporter for KMCP News and Metro Man's girlfriend?"

"That's the one, though that rumor isn't necessarily…"

"Oh no, this is bad," he murmured. "If you'll pardon me, I have to take care of something."

A hand stopped him. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I just have to…"

But she saw the direction he was headed and crossed her arms. "Oh, I get what this is all about."

He stiffened. "You do?"

"Yep, it's the story of my life. Every guy prefers Roxanne because she is older, prettier and popular. No one wants me, the skinny, ugly little waitress. I completely understand."

"No, it's not that!" Minion yelled almost desperately. "You're very pretty!"

She looked down and blushed. "You think so?"

"Well, uh, by human standards, anyway."

"Don't you mean by fish standards?"

"Sure, that too. So, uh, what's your name?"

"We're not supposed to say who we are until midnight."

"Oh."

"But who cares about rules? I'm Rachel. And you are?"

"Min…son."

"Minson? Unusual name, but I like it."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, um, like your name too."

When the song finished, Megamind had his partner in a dip and Roxanne found herself laughing and then gazing into his eyes again for what felt like an eternity. At that moment, Megamind wanted to lean in and press his lips against her cherry ones, but his conscience held him back. Even if he wasn't himself at the moment, he didn't know her, nor did she know him. It just wasn't sensible. Instead, he brought her to her feet and they moved to the beat of the next song.

"You dance really well!" Roxanne shouted over the music. "I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun!"

"What happened?" Megamind questioned.

"I've been so busy with my career that I haven't had the time!"

"What is your career?"

"That would ruin the surprise."

"Still holding out on your identity, I see."

"You haven't told me yours either."

_Uh oh,_ he thought. What was he going to do when midnight came and he'd have to take his mask off? Of course, it would be a human face under it, but under that was his real face. How long could he keep this charade up? It didn't feel right lying to her, but he hadn't really so far.

Minion and Rachel were a little ways off, chatting and giggling.

"Did you make Roxanne's costume too?" he asked her.

"Sort of," she admitted. "Okay, I didn't have that much time, so I used an old ball gown of hers. But I added the tulle and made the wings."

"That's impressive. Have you ever thought of going into business?"

"Actually, it's always been my dream to become a fashion designer! I majored it in college, but for some reason, none of the companies seem to like my ecstatic personality."

"I like your ecstatic personality," he said before he could stop himself.

"Well, you'd be the first."

They strolled past the buffet.

"I'm hungry," Rachel declared. "How about you? There are finger sandwiches, melon…" she cringed, "shrimp…"

"Nah," Minion said, "I don't eat seafood."

She looked up at him. "No way! Neither do I!"

"Are you serious?"

"I had a pet goldfish when I was a kid and haven't eaten seafood since! It just didn't seem right to me. I couldn't even eat fish sticks!"

He stared at her in awe. "I worship you right now."

She burst out laughing, and he couldn't help but find it adorable.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>


	4. Forbidden Love

**I just want to make one thing clear: Minion doesn't eat fish because I don't see him as that kind of animal, but that doesn't mean he's a vegetarian!**

**Okay, so what inspired this chapter? _A Cinderella Story, High School Musical_ (just a tiny bit), and duh, _Romeo and Juliet_. This is the first time I give Megamind an actual name! And thanks for the reviews so far!**

* * *

><p>As Metro Man continued scanning for Roxanne, his eyes fell upon some masked man dancing around wildly beside a girl in an angel costume. He had to admit, his moves were impressive and the girl seemed to enjoy them, but something about them was familiar, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.<p>

After a few more songs, Roxanne was feeling exhausted and Megamind suggested they take a walk out in the garden. It was lit up with Christmas lights, giving the place a romantic setting. For Megamind, it illuminated the woman's beautiful features. How he was tempted to remove her mask and wig and see what was really under there.

"It's funny," she said. "I don't know anything about you and yet, I feel like I should."

"I feel the same way," he admitted. "Tell you what. How about I ask you a question and you ask me a question and we keep going until we're out of questions."

"Sounds fair. Do you want to go first?"

"Uh uh, it's ladies first."

She giggled. "That's very courteous of you. Okay, what do you do for a living?"

He hesitated. "I invent things."

"Really? What sort of things?"

"Things so complicated you wouldn't understand. Hey, no fair! You asked _two_ questions!"

"Three if you count the 'really.' You can go ahead."

"Alright, what's your favorite color?"

_Please say blue,_ he prayed as she pondered over the questions.

"It's hard to decide," she declared. "There are so many, but I think red."

His heart sank. "What's wrong with blue?"

"Nothing! I just don't wear it that often. But if I had a second choice, I guess it would be blue. Hey, it was my turn to ask the question!"

"Then I suppose we're even."

She couldn't argue with that logic. "Do you have any siblings?"

"No, but I have a best friend who feels like a brother."

"I have a sister. She's living with me, actually, ever since her boyfriend kicked her out."

"Human men think they can do anything they like with women."

"_Human_ men?"

He dodged the question by saying, "Ah, ah, it's my turn! How long have you lived in Metrocity?"

"You mean Metro City."

"Of course, that's what I said!"

He had called the town that several times in battles. _I hope she didn't catch that._

"I've lived here all my life," she replied.

"How…?"

"My turn! This I have to know. Have you read any of Shakespeare's plays?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Yes."

"Honestly? Tell me which ones!"

"About…all of them."

"No way! Most guys would never admit that! It's a very…sensitive quality."

They locked eyes again. It was Roxanne who broke the silence.

"Your turn."

"Yes, of course. If you have lived here all this time, how come I haven't seen you before?"

"I'm sure you have. You just don't know, since I'm wearing the mask."

They reached a gazebo in the middle of the garden. The pillars were laced with rose vines, so the pair was careful not to snag their costumes on thorns. They sat on a bench together.

"Now for my question. If you weren't lying about Shakespeare, would you please recite one of his lines?"

He thought for a moment and then took his hands in hers.

"_Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?_

_Thou art more lovely and more temperate._

_Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,_

_And summer's lease hath all too short a date._"

Roxanne sighed with pleasure. "Sonnet 18."

"I'm not just quoting, you know," Megamind smirked.

"I think it's your turn now."

He paused to think of one that he absolutely had to know. "What do you think of Metro Man?"

She groaned. "Please don't bring up that show-off!"

He nearly fell off the bench. "What?"

"Wayne and I went to high school together. We were friends, but everyone thought we were an item back then. We assured them that we weren't, but they didn't buy it. Now all he cares about is showing off his mighty powers and not caring about how dirty our streets are at all!"

_I wonder if he caught that hint._

Megamind blinked in astonishment. "Not a lot of women would say something like that about Metro Man."

"Well, I guess I'm not like a lot of women. Anyway, my next question. Do you like Mexican food?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I believe I do. Why? Wait, don't make that count!"

"It's my favorite."

"Speaking of favorite, do you have a favorite flower?"

"Red roses. I guess I'm riding the bandwagon in that category. Do you think I might have met you somewhere else before? You seem familiar."

"Um…you probably just saw me in the streets somewhere. Would you mind telling me your age?"

"No."

He waited. "Well?"

"You asked if I would mind telling you my age, not my age specifically."

His jaw dropped. "You…you temptress!"

She giggled. "Okay then, how old are _you_?"

"Twenty-four."

"Hey, that's my age!"

"Ah ha! I knew I'd get it out of you!"

As they laughed again, they could hear "Love Story" by Taylor Swift playing from the house.

"I love this song," Roxanne mused.

Megamind rose and held out a hand to her. "My question: would you care for another dance?"

She looked at his hand and then up at him. "Only if you answer mine. Have you ever danced to a slow song before?"

"Come to think of it, no."

She took his hand with a giggle. His right one snaked around her waist, just under her wings, and pulled her in close. The pair gently swayed to the song, each lost in the other's eyes. Then he lifted his arm, allowing her to spin. He could never imagine a more graceful creature, yet something was oddly familiar about her.

"All out of questions?" she asked after a while.

It took him a minute to come up with something. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

She smiled. "I'll let you know."

Their faces were only inches apart when the music faded and people were counting down in the distance. Megamind glanced at his watch and realized it was only seconds until midnight and the New Year would begin.

"Five…" the crowd inside chanted, "four…three…two…one…"

There were cries of excitement as flakes of snow started to fall from the sky. The pair gaped in awe. It _never_ snowed in Metro City.

"Do you think it's a sign?" Roxanne wondered.

"Of what?"

"I don't know. Something."

They looked back at each other, the woman grinning.

"We can take our masks off now."

Megamind was frightened. "Do we have to?"

"You don't want to hide yourself forever, do you?"

They turned around to remove their disguises when Megamind remembered he only had to take off the mask and not the hologram. When he spun around and saw the face of his companion, he froze like the falling snow.

"Roxanne Ritchi?" he breathed.

The woman shrugged, setting her mask and wig on the bench. "Guess the cat's out of the bag now."

"But you're…that is…you and Metro Man are…not a couple?"

She sighed. "Nope. He's not really my type."

"Really?" He stepped closer. "Then what is your type?"

She grinned at him. "I think you might be."

His heart nearly leapt out of his chest. He was someone's type! More importantly, he was _Roxanne Ritchi's_ type!

"Well, you know who I am, but I don't know who you are."

He had forgotten about that part.

"You wouldn't like me if you knew."

"Don't be silly. Come on, tell me your name!"

He could say his real name, which he had never said to anyone. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her.

"It's…" he stammered, "Romeo."

She couldn't believe it. "Seriously?"

He turned around, embarrassed. "My parents had a wide interest in Earth literature." He winced at the mention of Earth, but she apparently hadn't noticed.

Roxanne was still taking this in. A few days ago, she had been saying she wanted a Romeo in her life, but she didn't think it literally.

"I think it suits you," she said.

"You think so?" he asked, turning back round.

She stepped toward him. "After all, you are the most romantic guy I've met."

They leaned forward as the gap closed between them and their lips locked in a gentle kiss. Megamind closed his eyes as he drowned in the feeling of her lips against his. He had only dreamed of kissing before, and it was even more wonderful than he had imagined.

In her fantasies, Roxanne reached down and took his hand, brushing up against the watch on his wrist. Suddenly, something changed in the kiss, and strangely, it felt better. Sparks of electricity shivered up her spine as she took a breath and then kissed him again, placing her hands on his face. It felt thinner than before, and her fingers touched a bit of hair on his chin.

Confused by this, she pulled away and opened her eyes, immediately widening at the sight. Cupped in her hands was the blue face of Megamind. She shrieked in shock and backed away.

"What?" Megamind questioned. "What?"

He saw his gloved hands and screamed. Then he saw the frightened look in her eyes. He shrunk away and covered his face.

"Don't look at me!" he shouted.

"Megamind?" Roxanne gasped. "What the…?"

"No, please! Just look away! Don't look at me!"

"Wait, I…"

But he had vanished into the bushes before she could get the words out. She stood there in silence, putting a hand up to her lips, realizing what had happened. She had just kissed the city's resident super villain.

* * *

><p>Minion's head thumped when Rachel removed her mask at midnight, revealing her pretty face.<p>

"You look an awful lot like your sister," he observed.

"I get that all the time," she shrugged. "At one point, when we were teenagers, everyone would get us mixed up! It wasn't long before one of us finally cut her hair!"

"I'll bet if Megamind ever tried to kidnap your sister, he'd take you instead!"

She laughed with him. "That would be very embarrassing for him! Wait, why would he want to kidnap Roxanne?"

The disguised fish paused. "Well, she is dating Metro Man, so he'd eventually decide to use her as bait."

"Oh, don't tell me you believe _that_ stupid rumor! Roxanne and Metro Man aren't…"

"Minion!"

Rachel glanced around. "What was that?"

"Uh," Minion stammered, "I'll be right back."

He stepped away and spoke into his watch. "What is it, sir?"

"Code: Get the Car!"

"You know, the whole point of a code is…"

"Oh, Code: Just Do It, Minion!"

"Code: Why?"

"Code: Our Cover's Been Blown So Ask Questions Later!"

"Long code," Minion muttered.

"Is something wrong?"

The fish jumped as Rachel appeared behind him. Looking down at his holographic image brought him back to his senses.

"I have to go," he said to her.

"What?" she gasped. "But it's only midnight!"

"I'm sorry, but I really have to get going!"

She snatched his arm. "Can I have your phone number?"

"I…don't have a phone number."

"What about your address?"

"I don't have an address!"

Rachel's face fell. "Did I do something to offend you?"

"No, no! Listen, I really like you and I think you're one of the prettiest girls I've met, but this isn't going to work out!"

"Why not?"

"It's not you, it's…"

"Oh, don't give me _that_ old line! You're married, aren't you?"

"No! I can't explain, but believe me when I say that this will not work out! I'm sorry! Happy New Year!"

Rachel watched as Minion slid his arm away from her and disappeared into the crowd. When her sister slowly walked up beside her, she noticed the shocked and confused look on her face as she gazed at the floor.

"Hey, Roxie," she said. "What happened to the Phantom?"

Roxanne tensed. "Oh, he, um, left."

Rachel snorted. "Men! They give you the best time and then they run off to whatever girlfriend or wife they're cheating on! You okay?"

"Yeah, just…tired."

"Let's blow this Popsicle stand and head home."

Metro Man blocked their path. "Roxie, where have you been all night? I've wanted to ask you something."

Rachel held up a hand before Roxanne could respond. "Not now, Metro Dork. Roxie's had a tough night."

"Wait, what did you just call me?"

They were gone before he could say anything further. Roxanne's head was in a swirl as she replayed the scene over and over again. Why had she not seen it as soon as he had said 'Metrocity?' Some reporter she was. She tried to make herself angry at him for lying to her, tricking her, and then kissing her like that, but for some reason, she couldn't.

So many questions were swimming in her mind. Why wasn't she angry? What was this rapid pounding in her chest? Why did he look so scared and, she could've sworn, heartbroken when he had run off? More importantly, why had he decided to trick her in the first place?

_Because he's a villain_, her conscience told her. _He did it for fun._

Then why had the kiss felt so…right?

She would need serious therapy for this, but any psychologist would think she was insane and have her thrown in the loony bin. No, telling people about it would make it worse. And if Wayne knew about it…God, he'd go berserk! It was his rival she had kissed after all, the one whom everyone probably expected her to hate since he was trying to destroy her supposed boyfriend.

She decided to forget about it. It had been a mistake and she wasn't going to let him stay in her head. However, what did run through her head was, ironically, a line from _Romeo and Juliet_, and it made her want to kick herself for what they meant:

_My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!_

* * *

><p>Minion sat in the invisible car, still in disguise as he waited impatiently for his master. He then suddenly emerged from some nearby bushes and hastened into the vehicle, quickly putting it in invisibility mode.<p>

"Sir, what happened?" Minion questioned, noting his panic. "Where's your disguise?"

"Oh, Minion," the villain breathed. "I've done something unthinkable, something that I would've never dared to do before!"

"You didn't kill anyone, did you?"

"No, much worse than that! Minion, that girl…the one in the angel costume…she was…she was…_Roxanne Ritchi_!"

"I know, sir."

"You knew? Why didn't you stop me?"

"I was, um, preoccupied, sir. So what happened?"

He slumped in his seat. "I'd rather not talk about it, Minion. Let's just go home and forget this night ever happened, okay?"

Minion was about to shift the gear into drive when he spotted the Ritchi sisters coming out of the building, the arm of the younger wrapped around the older. Megamind saw them too and his heart beat faster at the sight of Roxanne. Minion noticed this and quickly drove away. The blue alien kept his eyes on the angel until she was no longer in view.

_Cruel Fate,_ he thought. _Is this another way for you to taunt me? Is this your idea of torture? Well, congratulations! It worked._

* * *

><p><strong>And so, the story of the star-crossed lovers begins!<strong>


	5. Balcony

**Sorry, I've been busy with a ton of stuff. Ironically, part of that stuff was helping with the lights with the school play _Romeo, You Idiot_. Anyway, you guessed it, this is the balcony scene with a bit of _Aladdin_ thrown into it. Enjoy and I don't know when the next update will be!**

* * *

><p>He had tried to suppress the reporter from his mind, but he just couldn't keep away from her. He had told Minion he was picking up coffee and donuts, when he was really sitting in the invisible car outside what he had figured was Roxanne's apartment building. It didn't feel right stalking her like this, but he wanted to see her so badly.<p>

He lit up once she emerged from the building, pulling her purple coat tightly around her slender body, trying not to freeze. He sighed at the memory of two nights ago, when his arms were wrapped around her instead of that coat. He kept the car at a slow pace and at a safe distance so she wouldn't hear the low rum of the engine.

He watched as she entered a coffee shop and Megamind had the idea of disguising himself so he would be able to prove his story to Minion while at the same time, getting the chance to be close to Roxanne again. No, she would recognize his eyes for sure. She was a smart woman. _Stupid watch glitch!_

He smiled again as she exited the store, carrying a small box and a cardboard tray of two cappuccinos. Oh, how he felt the sudden urge to jump out of the car and carry those things for her.

Megamind's thoughts ran wild as he followed her back to her apartment building. He pressed his face against the window as she stepped inside. _I must have her,_ he thought. _I must make her mine._

He pulled himself from the glass. What was he thinking? He was a super villain and he couldn't just pluck a girl from her home and take her away. And this was Roxanne Ritchi, the love interest of his rival! True, she had no interest in Metro Man, but he certainly had interest in her. _Why wouldn't he find her interesting?_

Anyway, she was supposed to be the _enemy_, for being the apple of the enemy's eye! In a normal situation, he would be using her to lure Metro Man to his doom! How could he do that when he was captivated by the bait? She would hate him either way, especially after the other night.

Besides, even if she wasn't involved with the hero, she could never be his. The bad guy never got the girl. Maybe some villains in the past had managed to do so, but Roxanne was too gentle to agree to such a thing. No, she'd never want him in a million years.

* * *

><p>He attempted to drown his worries out in working for his next evil plan. But all he could think of was how Roxanne would react if she saw his villainous persona onscreen. Without realizing it, his chemical equations had turned into hearts. He yelped and erased them immediately.<p>

"Are you okay, sir?"

Megamind jumped at the sound of his friend's voice. "Minion, how many times have I told you not to sneak up on me while I'm working?"

"I'm sorry, but you've seemed upset about something ever since the party. Are you finally going to tell me what happened that night?"

"I thought we agreed we were never going to speak of that again!"

"But I'm worried about you, sir. You haven't even told me what your latest evil plan is."

"Well, that is…I'm going to…oh, what's the point, Minion? I'm just going to lose like last time and the time before!"

"Maybe you just need to take a walk, sir. Get some fresh air. Well, it's not exactly that fresh due to all the polluted areas."

Megamind brightened up. "Minion, you've just given me a brilliant idea!"

"Uh oh."

"No, this is different! Get the _Spi-ider _Bot! We're going to do a little cleaning up!"

"Wait, what?"

"Let's go, while it's still dark!"

* * *

><p>When Roxanne looked out from her balcony the next morning, she was stunned. All the streets below were cleared of garbage. It seemed too good to be true!<p>

She called into the apartment, "Rach, come look at this!"

Rachel's eyes widened at the sight. "Holy smokes! Did we move overnight?"

"Very funny. You don't suppose Wayne…?"

"Could be. Maybe he's doing it to impress you."

Roxanne cringed. "Let's not get carried away here."

"Who else would be able to clean up the entire city in one night? Next thing you know, he'll be appearing on the balcony with a bouquet of roses in his hand."

* * *

><p>Minion finally got up the courage to approach his boss as he scribbled some notes on his desk and ask, "Why did we clean up the city last night, sir?"<p>

Megamind hid his poems and stammered, "Um, well, we don't want to take over the city while it's a dump now, do we? Besides, it's my, uh, New Year's _ree-soul-hootion_ to keep a clean environment."

The fish raised an eyebrow. "Since when?"

_Shoot, I pushed it._ "Since now, alright? Just because I'm evil doesn't mean I can't be tidy! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to…run a quick errand."

"You don't run errands."

The villain stiffened. "Okay, you got me. I'm just taking the hover bike out for a spin. To clear my head, you know?"

Minion crossed his arms. "Why do I have the feeling that I don't believe you, sir?"

"Um…because it's your problem and not mine! Really, Minion, I'm only stepping out for a bit. I'll be back in a few."

* * *

><p>Rachel was starting to worry about her sister. She was still on her vacation, yet she was spending the last few days of it on the couch, watching old romances. The last time she had done this was after what had happened with Benjamin, and it wasn't healthy for her. So before she went out the door, she sat beside Roxanne.<p>

"It's about that guy at the party, isn't it?"

The older sibling sat up in surprise. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on, Roxie, I know what heartbreak looks like. You only knew this guy for a few hours."

"I'm aware of that, Rach, and yet…there was something about him that was…I don't know, different."

Rachel's eyes twinkled. "Oh my gosh! He was your true love, wasn't he? The one that you meet only once. And now you'll never see him again!"

"What are you talking about?"

She shrugged. "I saw it in some silly cartoon. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. You know what? I'm over it."

"Good. Anyway, I've got to get going. I have the night shift at the restaurant. Who knows when I'll be back?"

As soon as her sister had left, Roxanne grabbed her coat and made her way out onto the balcony. She sighed heavily as she gazed down at the city below her.

"Who am I kidding?" she said aloud. "I'm not over it. I can't get him out of my mind." She sighed again. "Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

She kicked herself in the shin. _Seriously, I'm using _that_ as a reference?_ It did make sense, however, since it was his real name. At least, it could've been. For all she knew, he could have lied about that as well. But why pick the name Romeo?

"Why did it have to be Megamind?" she muttered. "Why did it have to be the super villain? If Wayne were anything like him, I'd gladly go out with him. What am I saying? He was clearly tricking you.

"Then again, he did look scared after I had discovered his identity, and he was surprised when he found out it was me. If he didn't know who I was, why was he flirting with me and trying to find out everything about me? Maybe…no, that's crazy. Ugh, this is so crazy that I'm talking to myself!"

She turned when she felt something against her hair, but saw nothing. _Must be the wind._

"But…why not? You can never judge a book by its cover. You judge people by their actions. And his actions the other night…I don't know, maybe. Come on, I'm supposed to hate him! But…how could I? He didn't seem that bad, and even though he's an alien, he's not that bad-looking either…"

"Do you really think so, Miss Ritchi?"

Roxanne screamed and spun around to face the villain, who was as close to her that they were almost touching. She had the privilege of meeting those brilliant green eyes again. She felt the urge to close the distance between them, but instead, slapped him in the face.

"Ow!" he cried. "Well, I guess I deserved that."

"Who do you think you are?" she snapped. "You think you can just swing onto my balcony and appear behind my back? Why are you here? Is this a kidnapping?"

Megamind held his hands up in protest. "No, no! This is not a kidnapping!"

"How did you know where I lived?"

"Google Earth."

"But how did you even get up here?"

He gestured toward the vehicle behind him and Roxanne's jaw dropped. Propped up in the corner was a black motorcycle. _How did I not hear him come up behind me?_ She went over to it in awe.

"You mean you flew in on this?" she marveled. "Did you make it yourself?"

Megamind looked down sheepishly. "I am an evil genius, after all."

"This is incredible!" Then she remembered she was supposed to be mad at him. "But let's start from the beginning. What were you doing at the masquerade and why were you hitting on me?"

His smile faded. "I can explain everything."

She folded her arms. "I'm listening."

He took a breath. "I was bored, so Minion and I decided to crash Metro Man's event. We disguised ourselves, of course, using these." He held up his watch. "I wasn't really looking to harm anyone. I was just being bad in a non-threatening manner. Then…then I met you. I had no idea who you were, I swear! I found you very…attractive."

Roxanne gulped at the thought of the city's super villain being attracted to her. It was, she had to admit, a little scary. It was also difficult to believe, but it did explain things.

"So that's why you…?"

He nodded. "I didn't know what I was thinking! You were just so pretty I couldn't help myself! When I found out it was you, I panicked! Then you assured me that you and Metro Man weren't dating and…I guess I got carried away."

She huffed. "I'll say you did."

"I didn't mean for it to go that far, I promise! I'm really sorry and I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

Roxanne didn't know what to say. Could this have been some sort of trick? Was he going to make her believe he meant no harm and then do something villainous? Then an idea occurred to her that she could take advantage of the situation, but she still had to be careful.

"Is that all you came here for, to apologize? Why? What's in it for you?"

Megamind chuckled. "You ask a lot of questions, Miss Ritchi."

"I'm a reporter. It's my job."

There was a noise from inside the apartment as Rachel came through the front door. Roxanne hastily shoved Megamind against the wall beside the glass before going back inside.

"I left my purse," her sister panted. "Can you believe that? Hey, what were you doing out on the balcony?"

"Um," Roxanne stammered. "I was just getting some fresh air."

Rachel didn't believe her, but shook it off as she grabbed her purse and left again. Roxanne let out a sigh of relief as she went back out.

"Who was that?" Megamind inquired.

"My sister," she explained. "She lives with me, remember? Do you have any idea how she would've reacted if she saw you? You really shouldn't be here."

"I doubt your sister would do anything Metro Man hasn't done. She doesn't have super powers."

"All the same, she may look innocent, but you do _not_ want to get her mad. She doesn't like it when guys mess with me."

"I thought she was your _younger_ sister."

"Sadly, that's the case."

They stood there in silence for a while, neither them sure of what to say next.

"You're saying you'll do _anything_ to make it up to me?" Roxanne inquired.

"Anything," he uttered.

She could see seriousness in his eyes, and believed he was telling the truth.

"Then I have an idea of where you can start." She knelt down to the hover bike. "How does this thing work?"

Megamind grinned. "It all depends on how badly you want to find out." He climbed onto the vehicle. "You wouldn't want to go for a ride, would you?"

She hesitated as she examined the bike. "Is it safe?"

"Of course, do you trust me?"

She looked up to see if she had heard him right. "What?"

"Do you trust me?"

He held out a blue hand to her, and Roxanne finally realized he wasn't wearing his signature spiked gloves. This wasn't a gesture expected from a super villain, and any sensible girl would have run before he could take advantage. But gazing into those marvelous eyes of his, she felt she could trust him.

So after much hesitation, she answered, "Yes."

Slowly, she took his hand. Hers fit perfectly in his, as if it belonged there. He pulled her onto his lap and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hold tight," he whispered.

She gasped as the bike came to life and lifted off the balcony.

* * *

><p><strong>And they are all left hanging...<strong>


	6. Something

**I'm going to be very busy because of softball and the school play, so date for next update is a mystery.**

* * *

><p>"Are you afraid of heights?" Megamind asked loudly over the sound of the engine.<p>

"No," Roxanne squeaked.

But as they rose further away from the ground, her grip on his neck grew tighter. Megamind didn't know whether he was going to die of choking or die of the sensation of her clinging to him.

"Okay, maybe a little!" Roxanne admitted. "Are you sure we won't fall?"

"Nonsense!" Megamind huffed. "I filled up the gas tank before I left!"

Just then, the bike stopped moving and they plummeted toward the Earth. Roxanne let out a scream.

"Hang on!" Megamind wheezed, not being able to breathe due to Roxanne's grip.

He pressed hard on the handles until finally, the bike was back on track. The alien sighed with relief.

"Alright," he muttered, "so I still have a few kinks to work out."

He then noticed that Roxanne had buried her face into his shoulder, her hands now clinging to his shirt. She was so close now that her vanilla scent filled his nostrils and almost made him lose focus.

"You can look now," he assured her.

She slowly turned her head to face the ground and then opened her eyes. The city lights illuminated the atmosphere, and the sight was beautiful to behold. She closed her eyes again and laughed as the wind blew through her hair.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed. "I'm actually flying!"

Megamind smiled but then frowned. "Yes, but surely nothing compared to your flight with Metro Man."

She opened her eyes and looked at his sad expression.

"You saw the paper." He nodded. "That's why you were shocked that it was me at the dance. You thought I was with Metro Man."

That's when she realized that they were supposed to be enemies and they both knew it. Then why was he going through all this trouble?

"I can explain why I was…"

But the rough winter wind drowned out her voice. She had to shout to get her next words out.

"Maybe we should go somewhere less windy so we can talk!"

Megamind agreed to her suggestion, but was reluctant to take her to the Evil Lair. Minion was there and he wasn't sure if he could trust her enough with the location. Then he thought of a place where no one would disturb them.

He steered the bike toward the abandoned observatory. Once they had landed, Roxanne carefully slid off of his lap and glanced up at the rusted copper dome.

"What are we doing here?"

Megamind explained as he leapt off the bike. "When I was a teenager, I used to sneak out of jail and come here to look through the telescope. I'd been hoping to find some traces of my home."

Roxanne turned to him in surprise. "Why were you in jail as a teenager? What is your home exactly?"

Instead of answering, he sat on the edge of the opening of the dome. "How about we play the same game we did the other night? You ask a question and then I ask one."

She sighed and shook her head as she sat down beside him. "Fair enough. I'll go first again. Where did you come from?"

He hesitated. "Well, you see…when my parents fell in love, they…"

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Unfortunately, I do. Say I do tell you. You're not going to report it all over the news, are you? It's just so personal…"

"Really, like I'd be crazy enough to tell people that I was alone with an alien super villain. Anything that you say tonight is off the record. But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Alright, I'll tell you. It all started when I was eight days old…"

He relayed the story from the moment he had been sent to Earth in his pod with Minion, to that fateful day in school. It had taken about five minutes and Roxanne's eyes grew wider after each sentence.

"So you see," he said, "being bad is the one thing I'm good at. Then it hit me. If I was the bad boy, then I was going to be the baddest boy of them all!"

He said that last sentence dramatically with his arms raised. He waited for Roxanne's reaction. When none came, he turned to see her slightly shocked and concerned expression.

"I had no idea," she finally uttered.

His arms drooped to the side. "Huh?"

"You lost your parents as a baby, you grew up in prison, you were bullied in school, and you've had no friends other than your pet fish. I figured something must have happened to turn you into a villain, but I didn't think it would be so…"

She stopped there, unsure of the word that would fit. Meanwhile, Megamind was surprised that someone was actually _sympathizing_ with him. After a few beats of silence, Roxanne looked back at him.

"Anyway, your question?"

"Right, yeah. Um, where can I start? Oh, yes. If you and Metro Man aren't together, why was there a picture of you in his arms?"

The reporter groaned. "That picture's ruined my life. I just needed a ride home and Wayne offered me one. Like I said, we knew each other in high school, but I think he wants us to be something more. My mom would have a field day if we did, but neither she nor Wayne gets the point that I'm not interested."

She paused for a response. Strangely, Megamind had nothing to say to that.

"My turn," she said. "At the party, what did you say was a lie?"

He thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, not a word of what I said to you that night was false."

She gave him a look of disbelief.

"I'm serious!"

"So your name is _Romeo_?"

"Do you think I'd be stupid enough to make a name like that up?"

"Fine, I guess I'll take your word for it. Your turn."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

She was a little surprised by the question. "I just told you that Wayne and I aren't dating."

"Let me rephrase that. In the past, have you had a boyfriend?"

Roxanne tensed at the memory of Benjamin and how he had betrayed her, but tried not to let her emotion show.

"I've had a few, all with the same problem. Neither of them were the one. Okay, my question. Is there a last name that goes with that first?"

Megamind cringed. "You'll laugh."

"I didn't laugh at your first name."

"You'll laugh at this one."

"I won't. I promise."

"Alright, my name is Romeo…" He turned away before finishing: "Megablue."

The chortle was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!"

"I'm sorry!" she snorted. "It just sounds so…unique. I can see where you got your villain name from."

He waited for her to calm down, not regretting getting another tinkling laugh out of her. Even if it was about his name, he didn't care. It was still the most enchanting sound he had ever heard.

"Yes, yes, very funny. Frankly, on my planet, your name would be unusual. Ever thought of that?"

"Is that your question?" Roxanne giggled.

"No, that was _re-tear-ical_."

She laughed again. "I think you mean _rhetorical_."

"Are you making fun of the way I speak?"

"Of course not! I think the way you mispronounce words is kind of cute."

He sat up in shock. "Did you just call me, your future Evil Overlord, _cute_?"

Roxanne batted her eyelashes innocently. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I offend you?"

"Of course! I'm a super villain! Super villains aren't cute!"

"Do super villains go to parties to sweep fair maidens off their feet and then take them on a leisurely ride on a hover bike?"

"I…well, they…ugh, you did it again!"

"Did what?"

"Distract me! That is just so…so…"

After a second thought, he scooted closer to her with a playful grin. "Evil. Have you ever considered a life of crime?"

Roxanne pretended to ponder on it. "Hmm, no thanks. I don't want Metro Man kicking my butt all the time. You know, if someone like me can easily distract you, well that doesn't make you a very good villain now, does it?"

He pointed a finger accusingly at her. "Now that's going way too far!"

"Hey, wait a minute. Whose turn is it to ask the question?"

They had been so engrossed in the conversation that they had forgotten their little game.

"Well, I asked a _re-tear-ical_ question," Megamind recalled, "then you asked if that was my question and then you made fun of my mispronunciation…"

"I did not! I said it was cute."

"Exactly! Then I asked…"

"Oh forget this! If we have a question to ask, we'll ask it!"

Nothing was said for a few seconds, until Megamind finally got up the courage to ask one simple thing.

"Did you enjoy it?"

Roxanne opened her mouth to ask what, but immediately understood that he was referring to the kiss they had shared the other night. She wasn't sure how to answer, because she wasn't sure how she had felt that night. Her head had been in a swirl, though there was one factor of which she was certain.

"Yes," she muttered.

Megamind tried to hide the grin on his face.

"Did you?" she inquired.

"What do you think? You were my first, after all." He slid even closer to her. "Did you enjoy it enough to…want to do it again?"

A chill ran up her spine as his bare blue hand touched hers. His intentions were becoming clear and were giving Roxanne a fright, while another part of her wanted to give into them. But this was all happening so quickly, and it was too much for her to bear. So she removed her hand.

"It's late," she stated. "I think you should take me home now."

As Megamind sighed and got up to prepare the bike, he wondered if he had pushed too far.

* * *

><p>While he lowered the bike onto her balcony, Roxanne glanced at Megamind's watch to see the time. It was close to ten, which meant her sister wouldn't be back for a while, thank goodness.<p>

"I apologize for any offense I gave you tonight," Megamind said as he helped her down.

"No," she assured him. "It was…nice."

He looked at her hopefully. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"For what?"

"The other night."

Roxanne blinked, surprised that she had nearly forgotten all about that.

"Oh, I think you're in the clear."

"Good," Megamind uttered. "Then I suppose I won't be an issue anymore."

"Right. Thanks for the…evening."

She could've just continued her path toward the door. She could've just walked into her apartment and pretend that nothing had occurred that evening. She could've ended everything right there.

Instead, her hand paused at the doorknob as she felt Megamind's gaze on her. She could imagine the sad look in those glowing green eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had never been loved by anyone, except his best friend, since he was a baby. For some reason, she could not bring herself to leave him like this.

As Roxanne turned back round, she saw him avert his stare from her and pretend to look at his bike. She believed she would someday regret the words that were about to come from her mouth, but there was no way to prevent them from escaping.

"When can I see you again?"

His eyes widened in confusion. "Huh?"

"You know, in case I…need another favor from you."

Megamind stared at her blankly for a moment, but then smiled and handed her a card.

"If you do need something, Miss Ritchi," he said, "I'll be waiting for your call."

Roxanne giggled and took the card. "Thanks again, and good night."

"Good night."

When she approached the glass door again, she couldn't help but glance back at him and smile. Once she was inside, she slowly closed the curtains, not taking her eyes off him.

Megamind suddenly felt sick to the stomach, unsure of the sensation racing through him. As he hovered back to the Evil Lair, he swore he was going to have Minion check him up.

* * *

><p>Roxanne moaned as she leaned her head back against the balcony curtains. She felt a mix of confusion, happiness, frustration and…something. This something was familiar, yet new all at once. Only one other thought ran through her head: <em>What the heck just happened?<em>

* * *

><p><strong>I did not bother relaying Megamind's backstory because you've all seen the movie and read several versions of it so I didn't see the point.<strong>


	7. Feeling Sick

**Okay, couldn't keep away. Nothing much to say about this chapter, just that it was inspired in part by _The Hunchback of Notre Dame II_ and _Once Upon a Time _(love that show!). Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>As usual, Minion was up early to start on breakfast. What he hadn't expected was to see his boss at his worktable, hovered over some strange contraption, which to him looked like a turtle. Megamind had stayed up all night before, but for some reason, seeing him now after his streak of doing nothing came as a surprise.<p>

"You're up early," Minion observed, approaching his friend.

"I never went to sleep," Megamind explained, still focused on his invention. "More specifically, I _couldn't_ sleep."

"What does that thing do, sir?"

The villain paused and stepped away from his creation. "You know what? I have no idea."

"You're inventing something and you have no idea what it's supposed to do?"

"I don't know. It just…happened."

Minion raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright, sir?"

"No," Megamind muttered, setting himself on a black leather couch. "I'm not alright. I think I might be sick. I can't eat. I can't sleep. One moment I feel wonderful and then horrible…and then wonderful again. Now I'm building things for no apparent reason. What's wrong with me, Minion?"

The robot fish knelt to his level. "Open your mouth."

His friend did so and Minion examined his tongue.

"It's not an upset stomach." He put a metal hand to his giant forehead. "You don't feel hot."

"That's because your hands aren't real, Minion!" Megamind exclaimed. "You can't feel anything!"

Minion blushed. "Oh, right."

He unzipped a pouch on his belt and took out a thermometer. He put it in his master's mouth and watched as the red liquid went up.

"A hundred and ten degrees," the fish declared. "Good thing you're not human, otherwise I'd say you have a fever."

He removed the thermometer and brought out a stethoscope. He listened carefully to Megamind's chest.

"Your heart rate's okay."

"Then what's wrong with me?" his boss demanded.

"Well, you're not physically ill. It's probably all in your head. Sir, could this have something to do with where you went last night?"

Still wearing the stethoscope, Minion jumped back in his bowl.

"What's the matter?"

"That's weird," the fish said. "Your heart rate just doubled." He took off the stethoscope and eyed his boss suspiciously. "Where _did_ you go last night?"

Megamind bit his lip, but then folded his arms. "That's none of your business, Minion!"

"Fine, don't tell me. But I think you should at least get some rest."

He took his friend's advice. As Megamind lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he attempted to relax. He shut his eyes to clear his mind, but all that would come were visions of Roxanne Ritchi. He grinned as he relayed the events of that night.

He remembered how she had taken his hand, how she had clung to him during their flight, how she had listened to his back story, and how warm her smile was when she had said goodnight. But most importantly, he remembered that the entire time, he hadn't been wearing a disguise. She had known it was him all along, yet she did all that.

That was when Megamind realized the reason for his illness. It was all because of Roxanne. Even before last night, he had been pining over her, but it was different this time. Why was this different? He couldn't sleep, nor eat, nor concentrate. Could it have been possible that he wasn't sick, but experiencing the symptoms that humans had when they were in…?

No, how could it be? They had only met twice. Could something like that happen so quickly? He admitted that he did have some sort of admiration for her. After all, she was beautiful, intelligent, and she hadn't screamed. Had it already become that serious?

He was certain of one thing. No one must know of this, not even Minion. If word got to Metro Man that he had been sneaking around with his alleged girlfriend, it would not end well.

There was something else he was sure of. He wanted Roxanne, whether it was love he was feeling or not. He wanted to spend more time with her, like they had done last night. He fell asleep while thinking of ways to make her want the same.

* * *

><p>"And so, thanks to the brilliant efforts of Metro Man," Roxanne reported to the camera half-heartedly, "the thieves have been taken into custody and the bank is safe once again. What will this powerful man do next? This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live from the Metro City Bank."<p>

As soon as Hal had stopped filming, she let out a yawn she had been fighting.

"No offense, Roxie," her pudgy cameraman said, "but you don't seem to be in the zone today."

"I'm just tired, Hal," she grumbled. "The weekend was overwhelming."

"I know what'll make you feel better. How about we get some lunch?"

"No thanks, I'm not really hungry. Besides, I, um, promised my sister I'd swing by to see her."

This was just an excuse to get away from Hal so she could be alone to think. However, she really wasn't hungry. Since the unusual excursion two nights ago, she had hardly been able to eat or sleep. She was so groggy that she could barely keep her eyes open and almost didn't go to work.

She spent her lunch break at the doctor's, but he hadn't found anything wrong with her. All he suggested was that she'd go home and get some rest. She called her boss and he said it was alright, so long as she felt better in the morning.

When she arrived back at the apartment, she found her sister lounging on the couch with three bouquets of flowers on the coffee table in front of her. The vase on the left contained red roses, the second had a mix of all kinds and the third had red and blue roses.

"Who sent you the flowers?" she asked her sister.

"Nobody," Rachel declared. "Those are for you."

"All of them?"

"Yeah, it was weird. The delivery boy was relieved when I finally took them off his hands. I asked him if they were from the same person and he said no. Go on, see for yourself."

Roxanne approached the first bouquet and picked up the small card addressed to her. She groaned as she read the message:

_Dear Roxie,_

_I know everyone thinks we're going out, so I thought why don't we try it? I'll pick you up at seven on Saturday and take you to dinner._

_Wayne_

"Can you believe that guy?" Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "He's basically demanding that you go out with him."

Roxanne nodded. "I should've known he'd bring this up eventually."

"You're not going, are you?"

She really didn't want to, especially after hearing what Wayne had done to Megamind in school.

"I'll think about it."

She moved on to the mixed bouquet and sneezed as she reached for the card. There was at least one flower of everything, including lilac, which she was allergic to. Whoever had sent this clearly didn't know her that well. The words on the card confirmed that.

_Hey Roxie,_

_I bought you flowers. I didn't know what you liked so I got, you know, all of them. Don't tell your boyfriend I sent you these_

_Love, Hal_

"Who's Hal?" Rachel inquired.

"My cameraman," Roxanne moaned. "He's nice, but he can be such a creep."

She didn't think twice when she picked up the two bouquets and threw them in the wastebasket. The remaining bunch of red and blue roses was a mystery. Unlike Metro Man's gift, these didn't have thorns. She examined them for a note, but didn't find one.

"How come this one doesn't have a card?"

Rachel grinned and held up a piece of blue paper. "Who's this Romeo, by the way?"

Roxanne's eyes grew big. "Give me that!"

As she chased her around the room, Rachel read the note aloud:

"_My dearest Miss Ritchi,_ _not a minute has passed when you haven't come to mind. I present to you these flowers, though none can compare to your beauty._ _I do not wish to cause you offense, only that you accept this small gift and think nothing more of it. Yours sincerely, Romeo._"

Rachel clutched the letter to her chest. "That is so romantic!"

Roxanne snatched it out of her hands and read it herself. It was written in such perfect cursive and the paper smelt like lavender. _This came from Megamind?_

"So who's Romeo?" Rachel asked again.

"He's," Roxanne stammered, "the Phantom of the Opera."

"No way! How did he get your address?"

"I, uh, may have told him on our…date."

"You went on a date with this guy? When?"

"A couple of nights ago, while you were at work."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, he called after you had left and…I guess I didn't want you to tell Mom about it."

"And his name is actually Romeo? You get three admirers at once and one of them is a Romeo! Wow, I am _so_ jealous of you right now! Mom would kill you if she found out. Now I'm really jealous!"

"Would you stop it, Rach?" Roxanne demanded as she smelt the roses again. "We just went out once. The fact that his name is Romeo does not mean this is going to develop into a Shakespearean plot. Besides, he probably just sent these to be nice. I don't think it's that serious."

"Have you counted the roses?"

Roxanne did and there were thirteen in total.

"It means you have a secret admirer. Red means love, of course, and blue means the unattainable and impossible. It makes sense, since blue roses aren't exactly natural. And thorn-less roses mean 'love at first sight.' Don't you see, Roxie? This guy is totally into you!"

"Red is my favorite color. He knows that."

"Then how do you explain the blue?"

She figured the reason for that was so she would know who had sent them. Roxanne then counted the flowers again and realized that there were seven red and six blue. She remembered six roses meant the need to be loved or cherished. Could it be that he had really known what he was doing?

A question from Rachel interrupted her thoughts. "Why are you home so early, anyway?"

"I wasn't feeling well," Roxanne explained. "My boss said I could rest."

"Oh, you poor thing. Hey, I don't recall seeing you eat this morning. I'll fix something up for you."

As her sister went into the kitchen, the reporter leaned forward and inhaled the heavenly rose scent. What kind of a villain sends roses to women? This must have been a trick, unless he had somehow fallen for her. Had he?

"Did you check with the doctor?" Rachel called from the kitchen.

"He said the only thing I was suffering from was starvation and sleep deprivation."

"I think I know what's wrong with you."

"What?"

"You're in love."

Roxanne stiffened but then faked a laugh. "What? That's crazy!"

"It's the only logical explanation. You can't eat, you can't sleep and you look like a mess."

"That doesn't make any sense. If I'm in love, why do I feel so horrible?"

"You're not with the person you love. I think I might know who that might be."

Roxanne glanced at the bouquet. "No way. We've only met twice."

Rachel peered into the room and looked in the same direction. "That was clearly enough for him."

"No, it's just not right."

"Why not? You seem to have made an impression on him, as he has on you."

Her sister emerged with a tomato, lettuce and cheese sandwich.

"Even if you're not hungry, it's no use going around with an empty stomach."

The reporter reluctantly nibbled on the sandwich.

"He hasn't made an impression on me," she insisted.

Rachel shook her head. "Come on, admit it. You're flattered that he had sent you flowers."

Roxanne gazed down at the gift. "Maybe a little."

"Maybe a _lot_! Don't even bother hiding that smile! I say you call him and thank him."

"It's complicated, Rach."

"How so?"

"I can't tell you. Just believe me that if anyone knew about this, I'd be in a lot of trouble."

"Oh, I forgot to mention. I got a new job."

"You quit your old one?"

"No, I got another one."

"You have two jobs?"

"Since I'm mostly getting the night shifts at _La Lune_, I'm going to work at _New Beginnings _during the day."

"When are you going to find time to sleep?"

"In the morning, of course."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Think of it this way. The sooner I get more money, the sooner I can move out and I won't be your problem anymore."

"I never said you were a problem."

"Aw, thanks, sis. Now get to bed before you get even sicker."

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mother."

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are appreciated.<strong>


	8. An Unexpected Visit

**How ironic! I write about these characters feeling sick and I get sick myself! I'm all better now, but my day off gave me time to write this. I hope you like!**

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night when Roxanne woke at the sound of the door opening. She shut her eyes again and remained still, thinking it might be a burglar. She listened as the figure slowly approached the bed. When she felt the intruder's warm breath, she swiftly grabbed her pillow and hit him in the face.<p>

"Ow!"

She sat up in recognition and switched on the lamp.

"Megamind?"

The alien stood there, massaging his face. When she saw what he was wearing, she burst out laughing. Megamind narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, so you think hitting me with a pillow is funny?"

"I'm sorry," Roxanne chuckled. "That's a new look for you."

He glanced down at his hazard symbol pajamas and yelped as he tried to cover himself. Still laughing, Roxanne took her robe hanging on the edge of her bed and wrapped it around her body.

"Okay, let's start at the beginning. What are you doing in my room?"

"I was, um," Megamind stuttered, "I was checking to see if you had gotten the flowers."

She raised an eyebrow. "You snuck in here in the middle of the night in your pajamas just to see if I had gotten your flowers? I don't buy it."

"No, really." He stepped out of the room and gestured toward the vase on the coffee table. "See? You did get them. My work here is done."

Roxanne snatched his arm. "Oh no, you're not getting off the hook that easily! There's no way you could have missed those coming in, so why were you in my room?"

Megamind tried to make up another excuse, but thought of none. Finally, the truth came out.

"Alright, I couldn't sleep. That's why I'm not presentable at the moment. So I, well, wanted to see you again."

She almost felt touched. "That's very flattering, but what if someone had seen you?"

"I was very careful, I assure you. I apologize for waking you."

"It doesn't matter. I haven't been sleeping well either."

There was an awkward silence. _Why does this happen so often?_ Roxanne thought.

"Well, I guess I must be on my way," Megamind declared as he started to leave.

She stopped him once more. "Wait! Can I, um, get you something?"

The alien smiled but then pretended not to be interested. "I don't know, Miss Ritchi. I don't think you'd want a villain in your apartment."

"No, I do! I mean…as long as you don't touch anything."

"What if someone asks why I was in here?"

"Then I'll deny everything."

He stroked his chin, but was doing a happy dance on the inside. Then he sat down on the couch.

"Alright, if you insist."

Roxanne hesitantly left for the kitchen, but then turned back for a second. "Um, what do you like?"

"Do you have any hot chocolate? Minion's always warning me about having too much sugar, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

She didn't know whether he was referring to the chocolate or the fact that he was here. While she was preparing the drinks, Megamind took the liberty of glancing around her apartment. When his eyes stumbled upon the waste basket, he noticed the two bouquets of flowers.

"I had no idea you were so popular," he called to Roxanne.

"What do you mean?"

"You receive a lot of flowers."

The reporter winced. She had been hoping he wouldn't see those.

"So," Megamind gulped, "who sent them?"

"One of them is from Metro Man. The other's from Hal Stewart, my cameraman."

He suddenly felt a twinge of something, a mix of anger and sadness. Roxanne noticed that he was still staring at the trash bin when she came in with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. _Is he actually jealous?_

"There's a reason I threw them away," she explained, handing him a mug.

"What's this Hal _Schtewart_ like?" he inquired, not removing his eyes from the garbage.

"Short, round and really creepy. He likes me, but the feeling's not mutual. I appreciate him trying, but he failed to realize that I'm allergic to lilac."

"Metro Man also sent roses."

"They had thorns though. At least I had told you my favorite."

Megamind wondered if she had caught the meaning of the roses. When Roxanne didn't see his expression change, she tried something else.

"Frankly, neither of them was as thoughtful as you."

He looked at her as she sat beside him, relief washing over him.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked. "You know, besides sending me flowers."

"Well," Megamind replied, "I've been trying to invent something that would help me sleep. I made a special stick and had Minion whack me with it. Unfortunately, it only knocked me out for a short while and made me lose about five minutes of memory and give me a splitting headache. Minion filled in the blanks once I had awoke. It didn't do what I had expected, but it could come in handy. I call it," he paused for effect, "the Forget-Me-Stick!"

Roxanne giggled at his dramatic pose. "A knockout stick seems kind of harsh. Why not try something more subtle, like a spray?"

"I hadn't thought of that. That certainly _would_ be less painful."

"If you do make a spray, would you mind giving me some of it? I have my own sleep problems to sort out."

"It would be my pleasure." Then he cocked a suspicious eyebrow. "Why haven't you been sleeping?"

Her face turned red. "It's just…one of those times."

He inched closer to her. "Maybe my incredible good looks have made an impression on you."

The alien's smoldering look nearly made Roxanne melt, but she couldn't bring herself to confess the truth.

"There's a logical explanation for everything, and what you're suggesting doesn't sound logical."

He pretended to pout. "So you _don't _think I'm handsome?"

"I didn't say that."

"Aha! So you admit it!"

"I'm not admitting anything."

He scooted even closer. "I notice you have thrown the other flowers away but not mine. Now why is that?"

She backed up as he cornered her to the end of the couch. They were so near now that she could feel her pulse quicken. Being the stubborn woman that she was, Roxanne _wasn't_ going to be caught off-guard this time. Transforming her shock into a smirk, she started advancing towards him.

"I think the real question is why you sent the flowers in the first place."

Megamind was stunned at her comeback. "Well, isn't that what men do?"

"Yes, when they admire someone. I don't think you're the only one who's seemed to have made an impression."

"Aha! If you're saying I'm not the only one who's made an impression, then you admit I _have_ made one!"

"Who said the impression was good?"

"Who said it was bad?"

"_You _were the one who sent the flowers! I think you're crazy about me!"

"I think _you're_ crazy about _me_! After all, you can't sleep!"

"Neither can you!"

He opened his mouth for another counterargument, but none came. They were now in the middle of the couch, but as Megamind moved away, Roxanne noted how his cheeks had blushed into a deep purple. She couldn't help but think that he looked adorable.

"Fine, you win again," he groaned.

"Win what again?"

"Every time we get into some banter, you always seem to win!" Then the annoyance in his face faded and turned into one of awe. "No one's ever beaten me at witty back-and-forth banter before! Metro Man always thought of the cheesiest things!"

"Oh, like you haven't thought of anything cheesy."

That eyebrow of his rose again. "Is this another challenge, Miss Ritchi?"

She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Only if you want it to be."

"Oh, you're on! What have I said that was cheesy?"

"You remember a couple of weeks ago when you broadcasted your 'brilliant evil plan,'" she put in air quotes, "with the Robot Chickens?"

"What does this mean?"

He mimicked the gesture with his fingers.

She rolled her eyes. "It means I was being sarcastic about the 'brilliant evil plan' bit."

"It _was_ brilliant! Those chickens could lay eggs of doom and destruction! It was just my luck that Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes destroyed them all."

"Anyway, when Metro Man came, he said," she deepened her voice, "'your plans are about to be scrambled, Megamind!'"

He stifled a laugh at her impression. "I remember. Then I said, 'but these plans are going to turn sunny-side-up!'"

"Then after the comment about stopping you being over-easy?"

"That's when I said, 'well, you're about to get…poached.'" He paused and then sank into his seat. "I'm beginning to see what you mean."

"I guess that means I win."

The villain sat up. "Oh no, Miss Ritchi! We're not done yet! It was still a brilliant scheme!"

"You planned to take over the city with a bunch of mechanical flightless birds with bombs shooting out of their butts."

"Exactly! It was so ridiculous that no one would've expected it!"

"So you admit that it was ridiculous?"

He opened his mouth, failing to continue. Then he slunk deeper into the couch.

"That's three to nothing," Roxanne said triumphantly. "Want to try it again?"

"Why bother?" Megamind grumbled.

"I'm probably just too clever for you."

He pointed a finger at her. "_No one's_ cleverer than me! But," he sat up, "you are pretty close. You really would make such a villainess."

She shook her head. "Dream on, Romeo."

He suddenly regretted telling her his real name, but it somehow felt comforting. It was then Roxanne realized that as she had been talking with him, even though half the time he had been flirting, she no longer felt sick. The rumbling in her stomach confirmed that.

"Gosh, I haven't eaten since lunch," she declared. "Do you want anything?"

"Donuts?" Megamind asked excitedly.

"Is that all?"

"You could make some _pop-ed_ corn while you're at it."

The reporter rolled her eyes. "Okay, if you're going to camp out here, do you want to maybe watch a movie?"

His face brightened. "Okay!"

Roxanne knelt down to the cabinet underneath the TV. "Do you have any preferences?"

"You can choose. I don't mind."

She felt a little silly picking out a movie for a super villain, but there hadn't seemed to be any harm in doing the other things. She scanned her collection of DVDs, wondering what would be appropriate. She eliminated _Beauty and the Beast_, _Phantom of the Opera_ and _Romeo and Juliet_, as if they would suggest anything. She also ignored all the superhero movies, thinking that would depress him somehow, since all the villains were defeated. She ended up selecting _Hello, Dolly!_

"This is one of my favorites," Roxanne explained to her guest. "There are no super villains, but I'm sure you'll like it."

The pair found themselves laughing together throughout the film, munching on donuts and popcorn. At one point, they reached for the bowl at the same time, their hands meeting. For a moment, they stared at each other, until Megamind finally moved his hand and let Roxanne take some popcorn first.

By the restaurant scene, Roxanne's eyelids were growing weary. At the end of the "Hello, Dolly" song, her head became dizzy and she chose to lay it on the nearest thing there, which happened to be Megamind's shoulder. The alien glanced down at her in surprise, but was glad that he wasn't wearing his spikes.

After that, he tried to pay attention to the story onscreen, but his eyes would wander over to the lovely woman beside him. Her eyes were closed now and she shifted to make herself more comfortable.

As much as Megamind wanted her to lay on him, he had felt like he had crossed a thin, invisible line between good and evil, and in doing so, there were going to be consequences. What exactly was she thinking right now? That is why he had to say it.

"You know, Roxanne, you could get in a lot of trouble for this."

"Hmm?" the woman muttered in her half-sleep.

"I mean you are sitting on a couch with a super villain, not to mention an alien. What if someone found out? Your reputation could be ruined. Metro Man might do something terrible. You'd be publically humiliated!"

All she did was smile, not opening her eyes, and utter, "How exciting."

It was no use talking to her now. She had drifted off to sleep. Megamind was still staring at her when the music from the television grew softer and Michael Crawford started singing "It Only Takes a Moment." As he listened to the song, he kept glimpsing at Roxanne and thinking about how long it had taken to fall in love with her.

That's when he became aware of the fact that he truly _had_ fallen in love with her, ever since he had first seen her report, and like in the movie, it had only taken a moment.

When he finally looked back at the screen, the young couple was holding hands. Curiously, he glanced down at Roxanne's hand. After much hesitation, he slid his blue hand into hers. A few seconds later, he felt her fingers close around his and he almost fainted.

The movie became a hum in the background and all that mattered to Megamind right now was the marvelous creature leaning on his shoulder and holding his hand.

* * *

><p>When Rachel returned from a rough night at the restaurant, she could hear music from <em>Hello, Dolly!<em> All the lights were off, yet the television was on, showing the menu for said film. Rachel shook her head. _Roxanne fell asleep in front of the TV again._

She figured the least she could do was switch the glowing box off and put a blanket over her sister, but as she got closer, Rachel realized that Roxanne wasn't alone.

Stunned, the young woman slowly crept up to the figures on the couch. In the dim light of the television, her eyes widened and she nearly screamed. There, snoozing on _their_ furniture in _their_ apartment with his arm around _her_ sister…was the city's resident super villain.

She didn't know what to do. Her first instinct was to pick up the nearest heavy object and strike his giant blue head with it.

Then she squinted and examined the scene more closely. The so-called bad guy was wearing the most absurd outfit she had ever seen. Not only, that, but he had a wide grin on his face, not that sinister look in the papers, but a genuine grin.

Then there was Roxanne, whose head was rested on his shoulder, her hand on top of his free one. She was also smiling, like Rachel had never seen her smile before. She looked so…happy.

The cogs in her brain started working, trying to make logic of the situation. Megamind wouldn't be in here, watching a movie with his arm around her sister, unless Roxanne had _let_ him do so. That could only mean one thing.

Rachel glanced at the red and blue bouquet in front of them. _That is not possible._ Or was it?

It was crazy, but it all made sense. _That's why she was so secretive! That's why she had been shocked at the flowers!_ All that time, Roxanne's Romeo had been Megamind.

Rachel looked back at the couple and wondered if she should break their peaceful slumber and tell them that they had been busted. But her sister had never appeared happier. After thinking it over, she turned away from them and headed to her room as if nothing had happened.

* * *

><p>As Megamind's eyes fluttered open, his mind focused on the wonderful dream he had had last night. When his vision cleared, he realized he wasn't in his Evil Lair, but in someone else's living room. There was a pressure on his shoulder and he stiffened at the sight of the sleeping reporter. He blinked as his shock was overcome with disbelief, along with a shrill of happiness. <em>So it <em>wasn't _a dream!_

Roxanne was really there, lying against him. He was really in her apartment, in front of the TV. Everything that had happened last night was real.

He didn't dare wake her. Instead, he continued to marvel at how beautiful she looked in that tranquil state of sleep. With the hand of the arm that was around her, he began stroking her soft, brown hair, enjoying every second of it.

Then he glanced at their entwined hands and his eyebrows shot up at the watch on his wrist. It was nearly morning. The sun would rise shortly and if he didn't get out of here soon, people might notice him flying out of Roxanne Ritchi's apartment. Not only would they discover their secret, but someone might snap a photo of him in his pajamas!

He had to go now before daylight, but he couldn't leave Roxanne alone on the couch. Slowly, he let go of her hand and tucked his arm beneath her knees. She groaned a little, but her eyes remained shut. He carried her into her room and carefully set her down on the bed. After lifting the covers over her body, he flinched as she began to stir.

Before she became still again, she muttered one word, "Romeo."

Megamind's heart raced in his chest and resisted the temptation to kiss those soft, cherry lips. No, he couldn't take advantage of her like that. The time would come when he'd touch those lips again. He was sure of his emotions now, if only he could convince Roxanne of hers.

* * *

><p>For the first time in months, Roxanne woke without complaint. Her eyelids lifted delicately at the light that shone through the window. Her dream had seemed so real, so wonderful, that she didn't mind wishing that he had truly come to her in the middle of the night.<p>

Then she rolled over to face the dresser. Her eyes widened at what lay on top of it. It was a single blue rose, probably one from the bouquet in the living room. Beside it was a small slip of paper. Curious, she picked it up and read the two words written in the same writing as the one who had sent the flowers: _I'll wait._

He _had _been here. It _wasn't_ a dream. But how? How could that have happened? How could she have let him? And what did the message mean? Wait for what?

She looked back at the flower, picked it up and brought it to her nose. The marvelous scent caused the image of his blue face to come to her mind.

Then she laid her head back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. No matter how much she tried to suppress it, her thoughts would always stray to the villain who wasn't a villain: his eyes, his voice, the fluttering in her stomach. She couldn't deny it anymore. She couldn't deny the possibility that her sister had been right.

* * *

><p><strong>Nooooo, I wasn't thinking of WALL-E at all! (hehe)<strong>

**Part of this actually happened to me (not the alien in my room part!). After talking with my guy friend I didn't feel so sick anymore...then it came back a few hours later.**

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	9. Life Sentenced

**I was hoping this would be a short chapter, but it turned out longer than expected.**

* * *

><p>"What are you doing, sir?" Minion asked his boss that evening. "Is that some sort of rocket fuel?"<p>

"Don't be silly, Minion," Megamind said as he mixed the substance. "Rockets are _so_ last decade. This is something that will help me sleep, but in a less painful way."

"That's great, sir, but shouldn't you be coming up with a plan to destroy Metro Man by now?"

The villain realized that he had been neglecting his evil schemes lately. He also didn't want to tell Minion the second purpose for the spray. Then he thought of something to get the fish off his neck.

"I'll have you know I _have_ been planning something. It's just being done in a slow process." He took a small device out of his pocket. "I call it the Mind Walker. With it, I can enter Metro Man's mind and discover his weakness!"

Minion looked curiously at the device. "How does it work?"

"I'm not really sure. I press the button and nothing happens. My theory is that I have to be asleep in order for it to work and I can't very well do that if I can't sleep properly! Hence, the spray."

"Oh, good. I was beginning to worry that you were slipping into clinical depression or something."

_No, but you're close,_ Megamind thought to himself.

* * *

><p>Roxanne was still smiling like crazy when she returned from work. Rachel surprised her by opening the door before she could. The younger sibling put a hand on her hip and raised a suspicious eyebrow, examining Roxanne from head to toe.<p>

"You seem different."

She pushed past her into the living room. "What are you talking about? I'm the same as I've always been."

Rachel crossed her arms and followed her to the couch. "No, you've definitely changed. Yesterday, you were sick in the head. Today, you're all smiley and fully awake. Your reports today were much more enthusiastic. That's not all. Your eyes kept wandering, like you were expecting someone to appear."

Roxanne's face grew hot. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Without warning, her sister tore off her coat, revealing a blue blouse underneath.

"That's a nice shirt," Rachel said. "Nice color, too. Is this new?"

The older sibling was getting angry. "Rach, I've had this shirt for months!"

"I haven't seen you wear it."

"Is there a point to any of this?"

She was about to answer when Roxanne's cell buzzed in her pocket. When she saw the caller ID, she groaned.

"It's Mom. I can only imagine what she wants to talk about."

"Don't answer!" Rachel insisted. "She might say something about my career!"

"You know how steamed she gets when we don't answer the phone."

"There's no law that says we have to! If she asks later, we'll make up something."

After a few more tones, the phone stopped vibrating. Then Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" erupted. Rachel took out her cell and then threw it to the armchair beside them.

"Great, now she's calling _me_!"

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"Are you kidding me? After you didn't answer yours, there's no way I'm answering now!"

The ringtone died down and the sisters simultaneously heaved a sigh. Their relief was interrupted by another ring. This time, it was the home phone.

"No need to guess who that is," Roxanne murmured as she walked toward it.

Rachel grabbed her arm. "Don't do it!"

"We can't avoid our mother forever!"

She tugged away from her sister's grip and reluctantly picked up the phone. Before she could say hello, a screeching voice exploded from the other end. Roxanne had to move the phone away from her ear.

"Roxanne Regina Ritchi, didn't I teach you that it's rude to not answer you phone! I've been trying to call you for days! Rachel Ray Ritchi, you better not ignore me either!"

"That is scary!" Rachel breathed as she moved closer to the phone. "How did you know I was here?"

"Where else would you be other than with your sister because you can't keep a steady paying job of your own?"

Roxanne put the phone back up to her ear. "Nice to hear from you too, Mom."

She switched it to speaker and laid it on the coffee table so they could both hear.

"Okay, what did you call for?" Roxanne inquired.

Roberta Ritchi's voice softened. "I was just calling to congratulate you for finally coming to your senses!"

"Excuse me?"

"You know. The fact that you're dating a wealthy superhero!"

"Oh, God!"

Roxanne slapped herself on the forehead before escaping to the kitchen.

"Hello?" their mother called. "Roxanne?"

Rachel leaned forward. "Um, Mom, Roxanne doesn't really want to talk about her alleged relationship with Metro Man at the moment."

"What do you mean by _alleged_?"

"Well, you see, she and he aren't exactly dating."

"Why not?"

"Metro Man wants to, but Roxanne's really…"

She glanced up at her sister, who was looking at her with worried eyes. Rachel had to come up with something and fast.

"They aren't exactly together…because they haven't gone on their first date yet, which happens to be this Saturday."

"What are you doing?" Roxanne whispered.

Rachel ignored her desperate pleas. "They're trying things out, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, is that all?" their mother said, her tone changing. "Well, good luck, Roxanne! Now Rachel, about your career…"

"What about it, Mom?"

"You don't have one!"

"I do! I just got a second job at New Beginnings."

"It's no wonder you have to live off your sister's pay! Why can't you go out and get a real job?"

"I've tried, Mom, but all the fashion companies have rejected me!"

"You're not still pursuing that silly thing, are you? It's obvious that it's not going to work! Honestly, why can't you be more persistent and sensible like your sister?"

That was where Rachel drew the line. Her mother could criticize her all she wanted, but comparing her to Roxanne was going too far. In her frustration, she hung up the phone and threw it across the room.

"She _so_ did not just say that!"

"Rach, have you lost your mind?" Roxanne exclaimed.

"You heard what she said! I wasn't going to put up with her after that!"

"No, I mean why did you tell her that Wayne and I were dating?"

Her sister relaxed a bit. "Oh, that. Well, I had to tell her something to get her off your case."

"But you know I don't want to go out with him!"

"Yeah, yeah. You're interested in someone else." Roxanne blushed. "Come on, I know you've been seeing this Romeo guy behind my back."

"You make it sound like I'm cheating on your boyfriend."

"I mean I know you had a sort of date with him last night without telling me. When can I meet him, anyway? What's this guy got to hide?"

"He's not hiding anything!"

"Then why won't you tell me about him?"

"I just…didn't know how to."

"If you ask me, he sounds like bad news. I mean what kind of a name is Romeo? Is that even his real name?"

"Yes."

Rachel blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Really."

"Huh, what do you know? But why won't you tell me much? Has he been to prison? Does he have some sort of skin condition or big mental issues? Does he wear a wig?"

"What's the deal? Yesterday, you were encouraging me to see other people and now you're against it?"

"Hey, I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"What does this have to do with you lying to Mom? She might come up here and find that Wayne's not really my boyfriend! What would you do if that happened?"

Rachel thought for a moment. "I have an idea, but I think you'll hate it."

"Go on."

"I think you should accept Metro Dork's invitation to dinner."

"You're right, I _do_ hate it!"

"Just listen for a sec. Mom thinks Metro Dork is the golden boy because he's rich and a superhero, right?"

"Right."

"And she also wants you to be happy, right?"

"I suppose."

"So if, by an unfortunate circumstance, that your date with him was lousy…"

"You're not thinking of sabotage, are you?"

"You're going to have a lousy time whether I sabotage your date or not. If that is the case, Mom will stop pressuring you to go out with Wayne."

It sounded crazy to Roxanne, but at the same time, logical. But then she thought of Megamind and how he would feel if he knew.

"What about M—Romeo?"

"Just don't tell him! Even if he does find out, I'm sure he'll understand if you explain. Come on, Roxie, it's the perfect plan to get Mom to stop bugging you."

She still wasn't sure about this, but she did want her mother to lay off her. So she picked up her cell and dialed Wayne's number.

* * *

><p>"Go on, Minion," Megamind commanded. "Spray me."<p>

"Are you sure, sir?" Minion asked cautiously. "The last spray turned you pink."

"Oh, don't remind me! Fortunately, it was only temporary."

"What if this batch does something worse?"

"Then it was a pleasure knowing you, Minion."

"I don't know…"

"Minion, just do it!"

The fish pressed his robotic finger on the nozzle and sprayed the substance in his master's face. A second later, the villain passed out on the floor.

* * *

><p>For Megamind, it had seemed like only a minute had passed. When he gained consciousness, he found himself in bed, hooked up to a heart monitor. He yanked off the wires and called out to all parts of the Lair.<p>

"Minion! Minion, where are you?"

The fish emerged from the kitchen. "Oh, sir, thank goodness you're awake! You were out for," he checked the timer on his watch, "precisely twenty-one hours and sixteen minutes."

"So the spray worked?"

"Yeah, but you may want to give it a smaller dose next time, sir. Did you find out Metro Man's weakness?"

"Honestly, I didn't find anything! That must have been some powerful spray! All I saw was black!"

Then he felt something bulging in his hips and curiously looked in his pants to find an adult-sized diaper. He looked up at his minion.

"Did you put this on me?"

The fish rubbed the back of his bowl. "I didn't know how long you were going to be out, sir."

There was a familiar crash through the ceiling and the pair took that as their cue to hide.

"Alright, Megamind," Metro Man's voice cried out. "Where are you?"

Megamind panicked from inside the cupboard. Metro Man never came crashing in unless he had lured him here for one of his evil schemes, so something wasn't right. Had he found out his secret yet? Did he know about his liaison with Roxanne? He didn't have time to figure it out, for the next thing he knew, Metro Man had slammed open the cupboard and grabbed him by the collar.

* * *

><p>When Roxanne arrived at the station that morning, her boss came to her with a new assignment.<p>

"What's happened?" she questioned.

"It's quite unusual," Mr. Stubbs declared. "There haven't been any recent attacks on the city, yet Megamind is in jail again."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"The prison called us just now. Last night, Metro Man hauled the villain back to jail and left just like that. It was so unexpected that they thought the press should know about it. I'm sending you over to the prison to find out why the sudden arrest."

She could imagine one possibility, and it made her shiver.

"How am I going to do that if the police don't even know?"

"I was going to suggest you go to your boyfriend, but I thought it would be more interesting if you asked Megamind."

She didn't believe it. Of course, under the circumstances, it would be easy to do, but she did not expect her boss to propose something like this.

"You want me to just go up to the super villain and ask him why he was arrested. Excuse me, Mr. Stubbs, but have you lost your mind?"

"I understand it's unheard of, but come on, it's hard to find new material these days. Metro Man may be what everyone wants to see, but it does get boring after a while. We might never get an opportunity like this again! Besides, what can Megamind do to you while he's in jail?"

If only he knew.

* * *

><p>Megamind tuned in to KMCP 8 News, hoping that Roxanne would appear eventually. He didn't mind his cell too much. After all, he had grown up in one. It was just so inconvenient that there was nothing to do besides watch TV and wait for Minion to come and help him with his escape. Jail also kept him away from Roxanne and he couldn't test the Mind Walker last night because they had confiscated it along with his gun and clothes. The only way he could see her now was to patiently watch for her on the news.<p>

He heard the warden's footsteps trudge down the hall. _Odd, I thought we were going with Escape Plan 37 this time._ All the same, mischief got the better of him as he ducked behind the door.

When the window opened and the warden saw he wasn't in the chair, Megamind leapt up and shouted, "Boo!"

The warden screamed and the criminal cackled as he swung back in his seat.

"Oh, good morning, Warden! How's the wife?"

"Forget the small talk," the elderly man demanded. "I'm still not letting you out."

Megamind put a hand on his chest. "How hurtful!"

"However, I'm here on a serious matter. You have a visitor."

He glanced up in surprise. He had never had a visitor before. Well, besides Minion, but that was only to break him out, so that didn't count. Whoever it was, Megamind saw it as an opportunity to escape on his own.

"Is that so? Well, if you'll just lead me to the visiting room…"

"Nice try," the warden smirked, "but you're staying in here. You have fifteen minutes, so no funny business now!"

"Warden, Warden, what kind of a person do you think I am?"

The man shook his head before leaving. Megamind turned in his seat, wondering who would want to visit him. It couldn't have been Metro Man, surely. It could have been Minion, planning a new escape plan all together, but he wasn't that clever.

Then he heard a tap on the glass and spun around. He stood up so quickly that he tripped over the chair. He blushed at the familiar giggle as he straightened himself up to see the visitor.

"Roxanne!" he gasped, stepping up to the glass.

The reporter gave him a bright smile. He hadn't expected to see her here, of all places.

"What are you doing here? Someone might suspect something!"

"Shush!" Roxanne breathed, glimpsing over her shoulder before explaining. "I told them this was an interview and it had to be done in private. I know it's risky, but I had to see you again."

A seductive smirk spread across the alien's face. "Couldn't keep away, could you?"

She scoffed. "Part of that was true, actually. My boss wanted me to ask you a few questions."

His excitement died down. "Oh, I see."

"First of all, are you okay?"

Hearing that she was concerned for his well-being, Megamind's earlier happiness returned.

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine. Well, it's prison, but I'm fine."

"They're not mistreating you, are they?"

"No, they wouldn't dare. It would give me all the more reason to escape."

She heaved a sigh. "Oh, good. So what are you in for this time?"

"Would you believe it? Breaking out of prison and not fulfilling my forty-four life sentences!"

Roxanne's jaw dropped. "Forty-four? Have you really been arrested that many times?"

"Oh no, much more than that. Not every crime I do is life sentence worthy, like now, for example."

"Can they even do that?"

"Sure, they just add on to my previous punishment, not that it really matters. I always break out."

"I don't understand. Doesn't Wayne usually wait until you've made an attack on the city before hauling you to jail?"

"Yes, and it's sort of lazy of him, if you ask me. However, it's a lot more fun when he waits."

"So why'd he capture you now?"

"That's what puzzled me when he suddenly broke into my lair. As he was hauling me off, he boasted that he had important plans this weekend and didn't want me to be around to ruin them. It was pretty idiotic of him to tell me so, because that only encourages me to go and ruin his plans!"

Roxanne tried to hide the guilt on her face.

"But enough about me. Tell me about you, Miss Ritchi. Are you finally going to admit that you're sick for me?"

She sneered and leaned closer to the glass. "It all depends. Are you going to admit that _you're_ sick for _me_?"

"Ha! Even if I was, I'll never tell!"

"Then _I'll_ never tell _you_!"

"Oh ho, _touché_, Miss Ritchi!"

Roxanne checked her watch. "We're almost out of time. How soon will you break out?"

He chuckled. "That is for me to know and you to find out!"

"I suspected as much. I have one more question and if you lie to me, I'll know."

That statement wasn't true. She wasn't that experienced a reporter yet. It was just a bluff to get him to answer honestly. She pressed a hand against the glass and looked in his eyes with all her seriousness.

"Do you intend to do me any harm whatsoever?"

He paused, then lifted his hand to hers, imagining that they were touching. Then he opened his mouth and uttered one word: "None."

Roxanne believed him.

She turned when she heard the guards giving the one-minute warning.

"Notify me the minute you get out?" she whispered.

"Oh, you'll know alright," Megamind cackled. "It will be the explosion in the distance."

She giggled before the warden came in, announcing, "Time's up."

Roxanne moved away from the door into her professional stance.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Megamind."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Ritchi," the villain leered.

"Come along, miss," one of the guards said.

As the officers were escorting the reporter out, the warden noticed her glance back at the cell, flashing a smile. He looked over at Megamind and raised an eyebrow when he saw his lovesick expression.

* * *

><p>"<em>The criminal genius, Megamind, is behind bars once again<em>," Roxanne reported on TV a few minutes later. "_But under unusual circumstances. Confusion arose in the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted when the villain was dropped off last night by our hero when no threat had been made on the city._"

Megamind had grinned when she called him a genius.

"_One would think that Metro Man was finally upping his game and not waiting for another robot attack, but after questioning Megamind, one would assume otherwise. It would seem that the only thing he is being charged with is breaking out of prison and that his apprehender had bragged that due to some unknown plans this weekend," _she had hesitated at 'unknown plans,' "_the reason behind this arrest was for some peace and quiet. The real question is does Metro Man really care about the well-being of the citizens, or only for his own? This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live from the Metro City Prison._"

"Oh, that marvelous woman!" Megamind exploded, happily spinning in his chair.

She had questioned the superhero's intentions while live once again! Also, she admitted to interviewing him and hadn't said anything negative about him at all! She could have risked losing her job, but she still chose to be in favor of _him_! _She's perfect in every way!_

He was so overjoyed that he didn't notice the warden was at the door. He coughed to make himself known and Megamind stopped spinning, stunned and unsure of what to say.

"Interesting how your first visitor was Metro Man's girlfriend," the warden observed.

The prisoner blinked. "Yes, it certainly was unexpected."

"She also didn't seem to have much against you."

Megamind faked a laugh. "Yeah, weird, isn't it?"

He turned his chair around, hoping he wouldn't say anything further.

"So what's the story between you two?"

The alien fell on the floor. When he got up, he stared at the warden.

"What? Oh, very funny, Warden! You honestly think that me and that…that human… Oh, yes, that's very funny indeed!"

Then he saw that the man wasn't laughing, but giving a knowing look.

"I won't say anything," he grinned, "but be careful."

And then he casually walked away, leaving Megamind in a state of disbelief.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't know if you've noticed the reference to <em>The Green Hornet.<em> If you don't know what the Mind Walker is, it's from my first fanfic, In Your Dreams and has been used in others from time to time.**


	10. Kidnapped

**Yep, finally here. This one is WAY long!**

* * *

><p>Roxanne had been expecting the pink slip when she returned to the station, but instead, her boss came running up, shouting:<p>

"That was marvelous! Absolutely stupendous! That was some of the best reporting I've ever seen!"

She blinked in confusion. "You're not mad at what I said about Metro Man?"

"Are you kidding? It was new! It was different! It got the attention of viewers! Ratings are skyrocketing! From now on, Roxanne, you will take all Metro Man and Megamind related stories!"

She received a similar reaction from Rachel when she got home.

"You rock star! Everyone at the restaurant was talking about your report on Blue Boy's arrest!"

"Is that bad?"

"Bad? They've never seen anything like it! It's left everyone thinking! You're practically a celebrity!"

"I thought I was already famous for being Metro Man's girlfriend."

"Yeah, but this time you're famous for something you've actually done! You're the girl who trash talked Metro Man!"

Roxanne rolled her eyes but then wondered if either Wayne or Megamind had seen that report.

* * *

><p>It was Saturday afternoon and was supposed to be Roxanne's day off. Luckily, Wayne hadn't seen her report and the date was still on, much to her dismay. She was having lunch when she heard an explosion in the distance. A minute later, she received a call from her boss.<p>

"Roxanne, Megamind has…"

"I heard. I'm on it."

She couldn't help but smile and shake her head.

* * *

><p>After coming back from her report, her first thought was oddly to call Megamind and see how he was doing. She stared at the card he had given her, debating on whether she should do it or not. Well, why shouldn't she? They had been talking so much that it was almost like they were close friends. At least, she thought it was just that.<p>

She dialed the number and listened to Michael Jackson's "I'm Bad." It didn't surprise her that he'd choose that for a ring back.

"Ollo?"

She sustained a giggle. "I believe it's 'hello,' Romeo."

She heard a crash on the other end and could just picture him falling out of his chair.

"Roxanne!" he cried excitedly. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Hey, I just wanted to see how you were doing after your escape."

"Oh, I'm fine. Minion's making chicken _catchy-tore _to celebrate my homecoming."

"Don't you mean chicken cacciatore?"

"Oh, potato tomato, potato tomato. I saw your report."

"Oh, and what did you think?"

"Brilliant! How did you know Minion had slipped an explosive into my lunch?"

"It wasn't that hard to figure out. There was food splattered all over your cell. Also, the prison cook stated that he was knocked out before lunch was served. I guessed that Minion had a watch too and it all fit together after that."

"I'll say it again. Brilliant! In fact, you're almost as brilliant as me!"

The reporter tried to hide her blush, as if he could see her through the phone.

"Um, Roxanne, I was wondering…"

"Yes, Megamind?"

"If you're not busy, do you maybe want to…do something tonight? With me?"

For a moment, Roxanne couldn't breathe. _Is he asking me out?_ A feeling of guilt washed over her. How was she going to tell him? More importantly, how was he going to take it?

"Um," she stammered. "I'm sorry but…I can't."

There was silence, followed by a gulp. "Why not?"

"Well, I have…that is, I…"

She had no idea where their relationship was standing, but she knew that if he found out that if she was going on a date with his rival, it would kill him.

"I…am busy tonight. I can't really cancel."

"Oh," he said, obviously disappointed.

"I hope you understand."

"No, I completely understand."

"Is tomorrow night okay for you?"

"Okay!" he exclaimed, sounding happier. "I'll see you then!"

"Bye."

"Bye!"

As soon as she had hung up, her sister burst into the room with a pile of dresses in her arms.

"Okay," she said, setting the clothes on the bed. "We've got to find something that will make you look totally resistible."

"What are you talking about?" Roxanne asked.

"Hello? Fashion major. I know what doesn't work. We can start by taking out the revealing outfits. Remember, you don't want to impress this guy."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to dress in drab, am I? I'm still going out in public."

"Of course. The point is to make you less desirable."

Rachel picked up a red dress with a pencil skirt.

"So definitely not this one. Besides, red says: 'I'm dangerous.' Guys like that, so no."

She threw it over her shoulder.

"Hey!" Roxanne cried. "Careful, that's one of my favorite dresses!"

"Okay, just don't wear it in front of Metro Dork. Hmm, white is kind of modest, but it's also his color. Give me a hand here. Do you have any idea how many dresses you have?"

Roxanne started looking through. She held up a purple one.

"What about this?"

Rachel shook her head. "Uh uh, it shows off your shoulders. I said nothing too revealing! That goes for its blue twin here."

"How about this green one?"

"Green might do it. It totally clashes with your eyes."

"You wear green a lot."

"Yeah, but I make it work. Yellow isn't your color either. I don't know what it is, but it doesn't work with brunettes. Where did he say he was taking you?"

"To that fancy new restaurant with the hearts on the wall."

Rachel clasped her hands together.

"I've got it! Casual and modest! That's what we're looking for! The fact that you're dressed casually while going to a fancy restaurant will totally blow him off and he'll eventually see you're not interested! Besides, guys _hate_ it when girls try to be modest! Maybe that's why Brad kicked me out."

Roxanne set aside some more dresses. "So we can rule a lot of these out."

"Maybe you shouldn't wear a dress. A full dress is too formal, which is what Metro Dork will probably expect. Maybe we should go with the innocent sweater and skirt look. The color should be…"

Rachel considered her sister's and Metro Man's personalities and how they would clash. She then thought of Roxanne's secret relationship, a knowledge of which she was keeping to herself at the moment. Then she snapped her fingers.

"Blue!"

"What?"

"Blue! It's Megamind's color! If you wear his rival's color, it will _really_ confuse him!"

She began attacking Roxanne's drawers, tossing fabric on the floor before finally lifting something out.

"It's perfect!" she exclaimed. "Now, about your makeup…don't wear any. Trust me. Tomboy qualities always chase the boys away." Rachel paused. "I really am starting see why it didn't work out with Brad."

Roxanne giggled. "I think you're taking all of this too seriously, sis. I still feel bad about not telling Mega…I mean Romeo about this."

"Hey, if he doesn't find out, don't tell him. But if he does find out and pitiful begging doesn't help," she picked up the blue dress, "put this on."

That brought another laugh out of Roxanne.

"Wait," the older sister said. "I've got a better idea."

* * *

><p>Minion was almost done with their lunch when his boss charged into the kitchen.<p>

"Minion!"

"It will be ready a few minutes, sir, be patient."

"What? Oh no, I wanted to ask you if you know where my Blue Ion Nano-Kinetic Energ-Y is?"

"You mean your B.I.N.K.E.Y.?

"No, my De-Gun. Of course I mean my B.I.N.K.E.Y.!"

"It's in that labeled glass jar where you always keep it."

"Oh, right. I forgot."

"Might I ask why, sir?"

"It's for, um, my new death ray!"

"Sir, you're B.I.N.K.E.Y. is too small to harness that much energy. Even I know that!"

"Yes, you're right. I should use something else. Thanks, Minion!"

"Wait, sir, what…?"

But he was gone before he could ask any further.

* * *

><p>Megamind pulled the invisible car up in front of Roxanne's apartment building. He was hoping to catch her before she went to whatever plans she had tonight. He had considered taking the bike, but worried that her sister might be there. He had altered his disguise from the party so he could see Roxanne without sneaking.<p>

The problem was he couldn't bring himself out of his seat to do it. What would he say to her? He put a hand to the object in his pocket. _No, it's too soon for that._

Maybe that's why he was so nervous. He was thinking of that already. He hadn't even admitted his feelings for her yet. After that, they would have to take it slow. _Really slow, so I won't scare her._

He was about to turn the dial on his watch when he spotted a white streak in the sky and it was too close to be a shooting star. He backed up the car to get a better look and realized it was Metro Man, hovering onto Roxanne's balcony. _What is HE doing here?_

Since he didn't have binoculars, he couldn't get a closer look at the scene. Metro Man gently tapped on the glass and Rachel greeted him with a scrutinized look. She leaned against the door and examined him up and down.

He was wearing a white suit and tie, a big difference from his usual getup. In his hands was a bouquet of roses.

"Hey," he said. "Rachel, right? Is Roxanne home?"

"Maybe. What's it to you?"

"Well, we kind of have a date tonight."

"Oh, right. What was your name again?"

His smile faded. "Um, Metro Man? Defender of Metro City?"

"Now I remember! You're that annoying dude in the cape who sent the roses. Sorry, I thought you might be Albert. You know, I wouldn't try too hard, Metro Dork. Roxanne is way difficult to impress."

"Well, maybe I…"

"She gets tons of flowers like every day! Most of them are roses. They really stink up the place. At least you didn't send lilacs. Roxanne's allergic to those and I mean really allergic. Even a whiff of lilac and she swells up like a pig. It's really disgusting. I hope there's no lilac where you're going."

"Is Roxanne here or not?" the hero pleaded desperately.

"Sure, she's getting ready. It could take a while. You know she's been coughing a lot over the past few days? I think she might be getting mono, so I wouldn't get too close to her."

Her older sister called from within. "Rach, is that Wayne out on the balcony?"

"Aw, thank God," Metro Man muttered to himself.

"Yeah, it's your date," Rachel replied. "Do you want me to get the crowbar?"

Roxanne finally appeared in the doorway. She wore a blue cashmere sweater over a white collared shirt, complete with a mid-length pink skirt, beige tights and a pair of black flats. On her shoulder was a black purse that did not match her outfit at all. She felt like she was in college again.

"Hey, Wayne," she said politely.

"Roxie, you look…great."

"Thanks. You look…fancy. Oh, right, this is a formal dinner. I should probably change."

"No, no. It's perfectly alright. Here, I got these for you."

He handed the flowers to Roxanne, but Rachel snatched them.

"Why thank you very much!" she exclaimed. "Should I put them next to Jimmy's flowers or Harry's?"

"Who's…?" Roxanne started.

Rachel nudged her arm.

"Well, let's get going," Metro Man said, obviously wanting to leave.

"If she's not back by eleven," the younger Ritchi warned, "I'm calling the police."

"Um, I kind of work with the police."

"Then I'll call Blue Boy. Super villain or not, I'm sure he'd love to help!"

She slammed the balcony door and shut the curtains, leaving Metro Man in a daze.

"Is she always like that?"

"Yes," Roxanne nodded. "And she does this every time I go out. The other guys can't stand it!"

Megamind watched what he could from his position below. His green eyes widened as Metro Man flew off with Roxanne in his arms! He was carrying _his_ Roxanne!

Curious to see what was going on, he followed them in his car. They landed in front of that fancy new restaurant and he finally got a good view of them. Metro Man had ditched his cape and tights and had put a white dinner suit in place. Roxanne, however, was wearing a casual appearance that, to Megamind, made her look adorable. _And she looks great in blue._

When he saw them walk into the restaurant, reality sunk in. She was going to dinner with _him_! After what she had said, she was going out with _him_! _No, she couldn't! She wouldn't!_

He pressed his face against the window and watched as a waiter led the couple to their table. It was true. She was on a date with his rival! How could she do this? How could she betray him? Alright, so they weren't officially together, but she had said specifically that _he_ wasn't her type!

He continued to stare at them and then noticed something. As Metro Man rambled on about something, Roxanne had a bored look on her face. This made Megamind more intrigued.

He sat there for about half an hour and Roxanne did not show a hint of excitement. Soon, that boredom turned into anger, and something she had said left the hero dumbstruck. Megamind lit up as Roxanne stood and spat something at him. Metro Man tried to protest and calm her down. She sat back into her seat and regained composure. Then she got up again, picked up her purse and headed for what Megamind had assumed was the ladies' room.

A bit of hope sprang inside him and an idea popped into his mind. He spotted an alley right beside the restaurant and slowly drove into it. He got out and inspected the rear of the building, which contained a dumpster, a pile of empty crates and four windows. Careful not to make noise, Megamind placed one of the crates upside-down below one of the windows and stepped up to peek inside.

As he had suspected, there he saw Roxanne standing at one of the bathroom sinks and glaring at the mirror. When he saw that no one else was around, he poked his head in.

"Pssst, Roxanne!"

The reporter glanced around for the sound. Then she turned in Megamind's direction and let out a shriek.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered harshly.

Megamind scoffed. "What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Are you crazy? This is the ladies' room!"

"I can see that, Miss Ritchi. What I'm asking is what you are doing here with _him_?"

Roxanne glanced back at the door and then at him.

"Were you spying on me?"

"Well, I felt I had a right to know what you were doing in my enemy's arms!"

"Look, I was… Let's talk about this later, okay? What are you doing here?"

"I came to get you, of course!"

Roxanne was speechless for a moment.

"Exactly what do you mean by that?"

"Ask questions later! Right now, give me your hands."

He leaned in further and held out his arms.

"Wait," she said. "You're actually going to pull me up?"

"Yes, now hurry, before someone comes in!"

"Am I even going to fit through there?"

"If my head can fit through here, you certainly can!"

"But can you even manage it?"

"Just do it already before I have to bring my gun out!"

She didn't know if this was a good idea or not, but one thing was for sure. She wanted to get out of here. So she hesitantly took his arms and he attempted to pull her up the wall.

"You're heavier than I thought you'd be," Megamind grumbled through his teeth.

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No! Well, you're not skinny…no! I mean your body's in perfect shape…I mean…"

"Forget it, just pull!"

Roxanne was halfway out the window when the crate gave way under Megamind's feet and the alien fell, bringing Roxanne with him. They both screamed as he landed with a thud, she falling on top of him.

"How did you get so strong?" Roxanne inquired, struggling to get up.

"I work out," Megamind groaned, attempting to sit.

That's when their eyes met. They were so close now that it caused them both to blush. Finally, Roxanne stood up and then reached out her arms to help Megamind.

"Are you alright?" she demanded.

"Yeah."

"Good."

Then she unexpectedly slapped him across the face.

"Ow!" he cried. "Geez! Why do you always do that?"

"That was for spying on me!"

His jaw dropped in disbelief. "Excuse me? I suppose going out with _him_ and not telling me about it makes you even better?"

"Why do you even care?"

"Need I remind you? You plus Metro Man equals me kidnapping you! Do you _want_ me to kidnap you?"

"That all depends. Is this a kidnapping?"

He stuck out a finger and was about to protest when an afterthought came to him.

"You know what? Yes! Let's make it exactly that!"

He grabbed her wrist and dragged her to where he had parked the car. Roxanne seemed angry rather than frightened, even when he pulled out his gun.

"Get in," he commanded.

"Get into what?"

He leaned forward and opened the invisible car door. Roxanne gasped.

"I heard about you having an invisible car, but I thought that was just a rumor."

"Oh, it's real alright and you're getting inside it."

"Is all this really necessary?"

He brought his gun closer. "Get in!"

She held up her hands. "Okay, I'm going!"

Megamind slammed the door as soon as she had stepped inside. Instead of attempting to escape while he was coming around to the other side, Roxanne just slumped in her seat and crossed her arms.

"Shouldn't I be tied up or something?" she asked as he sat down.

The villain grumbled and pressed the button on his keys, causing the door locks to disappear.

"Don't even bother trying to escape, Miss Ritchi," Megamind said, twirling the keys on his finger. "I have it on Safety Lock and the only way you can get out of this car is with these."

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "You do realize that I could just attack you and get those, right?"

He waved his gun at her. "You do that and I'll have to dehydrate you."

"You'd really do that?"

"Yes, so you'll either cooperate or be condensed into a tiny blue cube. The choice is yours."

She said nothing and turned away from him. Megamind put the gun down and stared at her for a second before starting the car. For a while, they wallowed in their livid silence, until Roxanne spoke.

"Okay, are you serious about kidnapping me?"

"Of course," Megamind said, his grip on the wheel tightening. "I clearly have a reason to."

"You're not even going to give me a chance to explain?"

"Oh, there is no need to explain, Miss Ritchi! I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here! You reject me without giving reason, so you can go on a date with my arch nemesis, after stating repeatedly that he is not your type! Then you cast me aside like a broken toy, not thinking about what I would think, because you apparently don't care about the feelings of the incredibly handsome super villain!"

Roxanne's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god! You're actually jealous!"

He slammed the breaks on the car and Roxanne held onto the seat before she could smash into the windshield. Megamind choked on his words.

"_Gel-loose_? _Gel-loose_? Super villains don't get _gel-loose_, Miss Ritchi!"

"Oh, come on. You are _so_ jealous!"

"I am not!"

"It's written all over your face!"

"I am _not_!"

"Oh, so you were spying on me and getting all angry at the fact that I was on a date with your rival for no reason, huh?"

"Exactly! I had this all planned out."

"Uh huh. So where are the ropes?"

"I…forgot them."

"Where's the blindfold?"

"I forgot that too."

The fury on Roxanne's face faded and transformed into amusement. "You weren't planning to kidnap me."

He tried to think up a lie, but failed.

"No," he admitted.

Roxanne laughed. "I got you again."

When he said nothing and refused to look at her, she let out a sigh.

"Look," she began, "Wayne asked me to this dinner and my mom's been begging me to go out with him because she thinks he's sent from above. Rachel suggested that I go and since it was going to be a disaster anyway, Mom would stop bugging me about it."

His anger seemed to diminish, but he was still avoiding eye contact.

"I didn't want to tell you," she explained, "because I know you have some sort of soft spot for me…"

"Villains do _not_ have soft spots, Miss Ritchi," Megamind muttered.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Anyway, I knew you had…something for me and I was worried about how you would react. Considering the past few minutes, I had reason to worry."

He continued to look away, but she could tell he was trying to suppress a snicker.

"Though you're right. It was a big mistake."

She waited for his reaction and watched as his lips curled into a small smile. He finally turned to face her and leaned his elbow against the wheel.

"Was it a disaster?"

Roxanne grinned. "I was already planning to slip out the window even before you showed up."

He perked up, his eyes glimmering with excitement. "It was really that bad?"

"The worst date I've ever been on! Ugh, you should have heard him back there! He's so full of himself! He was blathering on and on about how great he is and all that, not showing any real concern for me at all! Wayne may have been my friend in high school, but right now he's such a…such a…brag!"

"There you go. You learn something new every day."

She shook her head. "I didn't even try to make an effort. I didn't bother with the makeup and wore this outfit that makes me look like a silly schoolgirl."

"I think you look fantastic no matter what you wear."

Megamind bit his lip as the words escaped from his mouth. Roxanne turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you."

His shoulders relaxed, but then he crossed his arms.

"That still doesn't change the fact that you went on a date with my enemy!"

She sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

"Begging certainly won't do it."

"I thought so. That's why I came up with a way. You see this pin?" She gestured to the one on her shirt, in the shape of a daisy. "It's really a miniature microphone, which records everything to this. Luckily, Wayne had just enough gentleman-like qualities not to look in my bag."

She opened her purse and showed off a tape recorder to Megamind. She pressed the stop button and then rewound the tape. The villain listened intently to the recording.

"_What do you think of this restaurant, Roxie?_"

"_It's, um, very nice._"

"_I reserved this table especially for us._"

"_Well, that's very kind of you, Wayne_."

"_Shush, it's Metro Man when in public._"

"_Sure it is._"

"_Do you remember when we met? You dropped your pencil and I picked it up for you?_"

Roxanne pressed the fast-forward. "I'll skip through all of this."

When she pushed play again, the recorded conversation continued.

"_You remember the time when…?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Oh, well how about when…?_"

"_Yes. Can we order our food now?_"

"_Right. You know, I wanted this night to be perfect. I even put Megamind in jail so he wouldn't disturb us._"

"_You mean you decided to arrest him for your own selfish reasons?_"

"_I'm sorry?_"

"_How come you nabbed him early this time but not before?_"

"_Well, before, he wasn't doing anything._"

"_He wasn't doing anything this time either! So you just wait around until he does something, which could possibly bring damage to the city, and then arrest him?_"

"_Roxanne, why are you acting like this?_"

"_Why do you never stay to clean up the messes that YOU create?_"

"_Megamind created them._"

"_Who smashed that robot into City Hall?_"

"_Um…_"

"_Who made a hole in that apartment building?_"

"_Well…_"

"_And who left that robot lying around for the construction workers to clean up?_"

"_Okay, so maybe I'm partially responsible for the damage done on the city and maybe a little lazy in…_"

"_So you admit it!_"

"_Roxie…_"

"_I don't believe it! You say you're a hero, but you don't act like one!_"

"_Roxie, you've been working too hard. Maybe you just need to calm down._"

"_Ugh, you're right, Wayne. I forgot to put makeup on. I'll be in the bathroom._"

Megamind and Roxanne burst out laughing, the villain wiping away a tear.

"He actually said that?"

"He sure did," the reporter said, waving the recorder at him. "And it's all on tape."

"You clever, ingenious woman, you!"

Roxanne deepened her voice. "Look, I'm Metro Man! My arch nemesis breaks out of prison all the time!"

Megamind joined in on her mockery. "But I wait until he unleashes something horrifyingly dangerous on the city and then smash it around!"

"But I don't stay to clean up the mess, because I'm…"

The finished the sentence together. "Lazy!"

Their laughter continued, but then died down as they looked each other in the eye.

"See?" Megamind said. "You _can't_ date the hero. You're way too devious for him."

"Yeah, that's what I tell everybody," Roxanne said sarcastically. "I'm much too devious."

"Told you so."

She batted her eyes innocently. "So am I forgiven?"

"On one condition. Can I keep that?"

She handed the tape to him. "That's why I recorded it."

"Brilliant! Maybe I could blackmail him with this someday."

"Be my guest."

After he had shoved the tape into his pocket, he locked gaze with her again. Then he recalled his previous actions and looked guiltily down at his feet.

"I apologize for overreacting earlier and…kidnapping you."

Roxanne smirked. "And?"

"And for spying on you."

"And?"

"And for raising my voice at you."

"And?"

"And for," he grunted, "acting _gel-loose_."

"Thank you. And I'm sorry for not telling you about my date with Wayne."

Megamind put on an equal smirk. "And?"

"And for yelling at you."

"And?"

"And for being insensitive about your feelings."

"And?"

"And for slapping you in the face."

"That's a good girl," he said, playfully patting her on the head.

She laughed, removing his hand. Megamind turned away and drummed his fingers on the wheel.

"So…this whole kidnapping thing seems…awkward now."

"Is this still a kidnapping?"

He slyly grinned at her. "Only if you want it to be."

Roxanne smugly smiled back at him. "Say this was a kidnapping. Where would you kidnap me to? Your lair?"

"Um, Minion is there and he doesn't know I've been seeing you. Your place?"

"Nope. Rachel's there."

"Then what do you want?"

She couldn't think with her stomach growling.

"Shoot, I haven't eaten yet. I left before we could order."

"Then maybe I could…kidnap you to dinner?"

She stared at him for a moment, but then gave him a knowing grin.

"You're asking me out, aren't you?"

"No!" Megamind insisted. "I am merely asking if you want any accommodations during your kidnapping. This has nothing to do with wanting to have dinner with you at all! I mean, if you want it to be a date rather than a kidnapping, I would have no problem with…"

"I'd like that."

"Of course, if you don't want to, then… Wait, what?"

"It's a date."

He blinked in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's not every day you get kidnapped by a super villain and have dinner with him all in the same night."

* * *

><p><strong>It was getting really long, so I decided to stop it here. I got the "I'm Bad" idea for a ringtonering back from nineteenninetytwo (got you, twoie, BOTH happened!).**


	11. Confession

**I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about writing this!**

* * *

><p>Megamind returned to the car with the pizza and switched off his disguise once he was inside.<p>

"Do we eat in here?" he asked Roxanne.

"Drive over to the docks and I'll show you where we'll eat."

"Are you ill?"

"No, the boating docks."

He started to drive, wondering why she would want to go there.

"You know," Roxanne said, "I didn't really thank you for bailing me out of that date."

"Well, you're welcome," he smiled. "I'm sure your mother won't ask you to go out with him again. Just leave out the part where I kidnapped you."

It didn't take long for them to reach the Metro City docks. Fortunately, they were empty, save for the boats.

"Might I ask why we are here?" Megamind inquired.

Roxanne pointed to a small path leading behind a hill. "We have to walk down there. Bring the pizza with you."

"This isn't some trick, is it?"

"If this was a trick, why would I ask you to buy me a pizza?"

"I don't know. To get me off guard? Maybe you'll throw it in my face?"

"Hey, point your gun at me, if it makes you feel better."

"Fine, but that means _you're_ carrying the pizza."

He playfully waved his weapon at her and Roxanne simply shook her head with amusement. He went around to the other side and opened the door for her. She walked ahead, carrying the box as Megamind followed.

"If there are police waiting around here," he warned, "you know I'll have to take you hostage."

"Would you stop being paranoid?" Roxanne called over her shoulder.

"I'm just saying."

"I can't believe you don't trust me."

"You _did_ go on a date with Pretty Boy."

She stopped and turned on her heel. "I said I was sorry!"

The alien laughed and tucked his gun away. "I'm only kidding! You have to admit this is fun!"

As much as she refused to believe it, she did. When Roxanne led him to a small, empty, rusted dock, Megamind was confused.

"This is it?"

"Yep, this is it," she replied, setting the box down.

"But it's just an old…thing. It looks like nothing's docked here for years!"

"Exactly."

She sat down on the edge of the dock and swung her legs above the water.

"So why is this so special?" Megamind asked, taking a seat beside her.

"This place is so old," Roxanne explained, "no one but my sister and I even know it exists. We used to come here when we were kids to play, or just to think."

"Did anyone else know about this?"

"Only our dad. Mom would have said this wasn't safe and we would have fallen through the wood or something. This was our special, secret place."

"So…why did you bring _me_ here?"

"I thought you'd appreciate the serenity of it. Not many people would."

Megamind chuckled. "I guess we are both attracted to old and abandoned places."

"Yeah, I guess so. It would make sense. I mean if something is old and abandoned, it means that you can hang out there and no one would bother you."

"That is exactly how I feel."

He watched her as she gazed out at the water. Her face shone in the moonlight. She suddenly shivered and mentally kicked herself for not bringing her coat. Warmth overcame her as something wrapped around her body. She realized it was Megamind's cape. She then saw what he looked like without it and noticed how skinny he actually was.

"There's been something I've been meaning to ask you, Miss Ritchi," he stated.

"And what's that?"

"Of all the citizens of Metrocity, you are the only one who doesn't seem to be afraid of me. Now why is that?"

She shrugged. "You haven't given me a reason to be afraid."

"I'm a _villain_, Miss Ritchi! You _should_ be afraid!"

He said it as if it was obvious. Roxanne only stared at him and shook her head.

"I don't believe that."

Then she laid her hand on top of his and Megamind bewilderingly glanced down at it. She noted that he had taken his gloves off. _Why does he always do that while I'm around?_ She surprisingly didn't feel cold anymore and didn't think the cape was necessary, so she shrugged it off.

He looked up and his glowing green eyes met hers. Roxanne remembered the first time she had seen them and still saw what she had seen then. Those weren't the eyes of a villain. They were the eyes of a kind, caring man who wanted nothing more than to be accepted.

Their gaze remained locked for quite a while. Megamind took in the beauty of her eyes. He felt it was time. He felt it was time to tell her.

"Roxanne?"

"Yes?"

He looked down at his feet. In doing so, he caught his reflection in the water. How was he going to do this without having her freak out? She was so lovely and he was…not. Then he glimpsed back at her hand and how assuring a touch it was giving. _Maybe she wouldn't freak out._

He took a deep breath. "It's strange. It's like…all my life, there's been an empty hole inside me and I've been spending all my time trying to fill it. Since I met you," he locked eyes with her again, "that emptiness is gone."

Megamind waited for her to run or scream, but instead, her fingers entwined with his.

"I feel the same way," she stated.

She began leaning in and he followed her movement. Their eyes sealed as their lips drew closer. They were about to touch when Roxanne wrenched her head away. When he felt her hand leave, Megamind opened his eyes. Her back was to him and her head was hanging. She let out a soft sob.

"What's wrong?" he pleaded, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head slightly.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, attempting to hide the pain in her voice. "I just can't…"

"I should've guessed," Megamind grumbled, removing his hand.

"No, it's not you. I just that…now I _am_ afraid."

He looked at her confusingly. "Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

He scooted closer to her. "You can tell me, Roxanne. Please? I don't want you to be afraid of me."

One more look into those eyes and she knew she could trust him.

"It's not you I'm scared of. You see…long before I met you and got mixed up into this whole good versus evil thing, I had a boyfriend. His name was Benjamin. We were together for almost nine months. He was a lot like you, actually. He was funny, smart, charming…"

His cheeks turned purple.

"Then one day," she continued, "he started becoming more distant. I guess I should have seen it coming with all the canceled dates and the so-called family matters. Being the reporter I was, I decided to follow him one night."

"Hypocrite," Megamind murmured.

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Okay, fair enough. I followed him to a restaurant. He had told me he was having dinner with his sister. Well…you don't kiss your sister like that." She turned away again. "That's why I've been reluctant to date again. I'm worried that the same thing will happen with someone else."

The villain watched as tears strolled down her face. He had never seen her like this before, and it brought him pain.

"He actually did that to you?" She nodded. "Why that…that… Tell me where he lives. I'll blast him into a cube!"

He was about to get up, but Roxanne stopped him and tugged him back down.

"There's no need."

"That man _hurt_ you!" Megamind exclaimed. "He had no right to do such a thing to someone as amazing as you! Why, if I were your boyfriend, I would never _ever_ do anything to hurt you!"

He reviewed his words and winced. Roxanne stared at him with glassy eyes, astonished. No one had ever said something like that to her before in such a manner.

"Really?"

He relaxed and nodded. "Yes, really."

"How would you do that?"

He thought it over and then took her hands. "I'd spend every waking moment trying to make you happy, so I could see your smile and hear your laugh. You have the most wonderful laugh." He noticed her blush. "I would make sure no harm ever comes to you, because that would mean losing the privilege of gazing into those," he gently swiped her hair out of her face, "sparkling blue eyes and having to see your beautiful face stained by those tears."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

He leaned forward and whispered, "Only a fool would think otherwise."

Regardless of his words, a new set of tears came.

"However," Megamind continued, "if by any chance that _did_ happen. I would do whatever necessary to make it better."

"How?"

"First, I'd wipe away those confounded drops of water." He put his hands on her cheeks and did so with his thumb. "Then I would hold you, like this."

He took her in his arms and was surprised when she returned his embrace.

"I would hold you close like this and stroke your lovely, soft hair." He did so and continued for a few moments before pulling away. "Then I would look into those dazzling eyes and tell you that everything was alright, because I would not let anything hurt you again."

Roxanne found that she had lost all knowledge of breathing as he tenderly caressed her cheek with his smooth, blue hand.

"If that didn't work," he muttered, "I'd try one last thing."

She finally remembered how to speak. "What?"

He hesitated at first, but chose to be bold and answer.

"This."

He gently pulled her in, swearing that he could hear her heartbeat doubling to match his own. He then closed his eyes as their lips joined into a slow, tender kiss. Roxanne was so stunned that her eyes remained open, but she could not bring herself to move away.

As tempted as he was to let his lips linger longer, he kept it short. Roxanne appeared as if she was about to cry again. At last, she spoke.

"Why?"

He knew she wasn't just referring to the kiss. She was referring to everything that had happened between them over the past week. His reply was serious, more serious than anything he had ever said in his lifetime.

"I love you, Roxanne."

A slight gasp escaped her mouth and she stared at him for a moment. He worried that she was surely going to run now, until she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him back. He closed his eyes and returned it with more fire and passion than before. Unfortunately, this, too, lasted a short while as Roxanne abruptly pulled away in shock.

"No," she uttered. "Megamind, we can't. We just can't!"

Megamind deflated. "It's my looks, isn't it? I knew you wouldn't accept me!"

"No, it has nothing to do with your looks! Megamind…Romeo, I really do care about you. It's just that…you're the super villain. I'm the reporter allegedly dating your nemesis. It's not meant to be. We're supposed to hate each other."

He had considered this, but didn't care. He grinned brightly and pulled Roxanne closer.

"The cat and the fish are supposed to hate each other too," he declared. "But how do you think the catfish came to be?"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "What do catfish have to do with this?"

"Don't you see, Roxanne? Our children will be like catfish!" He grimaced. "That…didn't come out right."

Now he understood what Roxanne had implied about his lines being cheesy. At that moment, she seemed uncomfortable, so he tried again.

"What I meant was where does it say that this is or isn't meant to be? Where does it say that the bad guy doesn't get the girl?"

"Um," Roxanne stammered, "in every movie and book ever made?"

"They were all works of fiction, Roxanne. And for your information, it _does_ happen sometimes. Have you heard of the Joker?"

"Are you saying I'm like Harley Quinn?"

"No, no! You're nothing like her!"

"Well, what I'm saying is that unless you want me to be like her, then we can't be together as long as you're the bad guy."

She had a point there. He didn't want to turn her into a crazed villainess. She wouldn't be his gentle Roxanne anymore. But now that he had given his heart to her, he most certainly did not want it back.

Then he made a decision, one that would change his life.

He looked back at her and said, "Then I won't be the bad guy anymore."

Roxanne's eyes grew big, not believing what she was hearing. "Really?"

"Yes, I'd quit being the villain! I'd give everything up, if it meant I could be with you forever!"

"Can you do that?"

"I can prove to you that I can! I haven't been plotting attacks for over a week! I even cleaned up all the garbage in this city!"

She gasped. "That was you?"

"You said you wanted the streets cleaned up and Mr. Goody Two-Shoes was clearly not going to do it! I swear to you, Roxanne. I will do whatever it takes if I could have you in my arms like this every day for the rest of my life."

The young woman could not stop the tears from leaking. "You would do all that for me?"

"I can and I will."

There was honesty and seriousness in his voice. Finally, Roxanne buried her face into his shoulder and wept.

"Why are you crying?" he demanded, puzzled.

She sobbed. "No one's ever said that to me and meant it."

Megamind smiled blissfully and ran his fingers though her hair. "Well, I mean it."

He held her for a few moments. Then Roxanne looked up at him with realization.

"Romeo," she muttered. "No one must know about this."

The alien's happiness faded. "You're right. If anyone finds out, they could get the wrong idea! They'd think I'd brainwashed you! Of course, I would never do that! They might take you away from me!"

"And if Wayne knows, he'll…he'll kill you!"

"Oh boy, I didn't think about that. Yes, we mustn't tell anyone."

"Oh Romeo, what can we do? No one will approve of this."

He grinned as she said his name and then caressed her arms.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted. "All I know is that I love you and we'll find a way somehow."

He brought her into another tight embrace and Roxanne had never felt safer.

"Now," he said. "I believe that pizza is getting cold."

"I'm not so hungry anymore," she declared.

"Well, you should eat nonetheless. We can't have you dying of starvation. That would defeat the whole purpose."

Roxanne giggled and reached for the box.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at the apartment, Rachel was sitting on the couch, watching reruns of <em>The X-Files<em>. She glanced at her watch. It was half-past eleven. Her sister should have been home hours ago. Alright, so she had told Metro Man to have her back by eleven, but knowing him, Roxanne would have returned much earlier.

It just didn't make sense. There was no way she was having a good time with Metro Dork! The reason for this date was so she _wouldn't_ have a good time! Maybe something had happened to her, but that didn't make sense either, since she was with a superhero.

She then heard the door open and her sister came in with a dreamy look on her face. _Okay, now I'm really confused._

"You're late," Rachel declared. "What happened? You look like you've just eaten a bowl of really good ice cream! Don't tell me this is because of Metro Dork!"

"Huh?" Roxanne uttered. "Oh, no, I dumped Wayne."

"You did? Alright, you go, girl!"

Her hand was out for a high-five, but she got no response.

"Hey, wait a minute," Rachel said, lowering her arm. "If you ditched the dummy, where have you been for the last few hours?"

Roxanne sighed and collapsed on the couch. "I was out with Romeo."

The younger sister's jaw dropped. "Wait. You just happened to run into your boyfriend after dumping the hero?"

"It was kind of like that."

"Did he know about your date?"

"Yep, but I made it up to him."

"Whoa, what happened?"

She was reluctant to tell her, but was certain that Rachel wouldn't figure out the true details and decided to give the basics. "Swear you won't tell?"

"I promise."

"Well, he bought pizza and I took him to our place."

"Hang on, our _secret_ place?"

"I hope you're not mad."

"No, no, this was a romantic occasion! I had wanted to bring Brad there, but he wasn't one for that sort of thing."

"Anyway, we were about to kiss when…"

"My god, you _kissed_ him?"

"Let me finish! I couldn't do it and I told him about Benjamin. Then he told me that he would never do anything like that to me. Okay, _then_ we kissed. Then he said that he loved me."

Rachel had only one word to describe it. "Wow."

"I know. Tonight I had the worst and the best date of my life."

She then noticed her sister's concerned look. "Is something wrong?"

"What? No, nothing's wrong. Roxanne, I'm…I'm…I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, sis." The reporter yawned. "I'm going to bed."

As she watched her older sibling go, Rachel was taking this all in. This was more serious than she had figured. This was not something that would end as quickly as it had started. This was not some trick that Roxanne would give into. No, she knew things were never going to be the same again as this realization occurred to her.

Her sister had fallen in love with the super villain.

* * *

><p><strong>How's THAT for a declaration of love?<strong>

**Okay, yeah, I used that secret place in my other story. That whole "catfish" line was from the play I was working with, _Romeo, You Idiot_. It was so darn funny that I just HAD to put it in somewhere!**

**There's more to come! Reviews are appreciated!**


	12. Secret Meetings

**More fluff in this chapter and something for you Minion and Rachel fans.**

* * *

><p>The secret romance of the reformed villain and the reporter continued. As weeks passed, they would find various opportunities to meet. Roxanne had announced to her mother that her date with Wayne had been a disaster. At first, Roberta Ritchi was freaking out, until her daughter mentioned that she was in a relationship with someone else. She surprisingly took the news well and was happy that her love life was not completely hopeless.<p>

Every time someone would ask where she was going, or if Hal or Wayne tried to make a move on her, she'd say she was seeing her boyfriend, Romeo. Megamind didn't mind her saying this, as long as she didn't describe his appearance or career choice.

This caused some rumors about Roxanne being a two-timing hussy, no matter how hard she tried to explain. But she didn't care, because their opinion didn't matter.

Rachel was still on to them, but not intervening. Minion, on the other hand, had no idea why his boss was away so often and why he was spending hours on his cell phone. He didn't have that many contacts, so he wondered who he could be conversing with.

One evening, Roxanne was going out with her mysterious beau again when Rachel put her foot down.

"Alright," she said. "You've been seeing this Romeo guy for weeks now! When am I ever going to meet him?"

"Um," Roxanne stuttered. "He's very busy."

"With what? Spending all his time with you? Is there something about him that you don't want me to know about?"

"What? You're crazy! There's nothing secretive about him!"

"Then let me meet him! Bring him to one of the restaurants I work at! You'd get the family discount, of course."

"I'll…I'll ask him."

* * *

><p>Megamind was waiting by the lake with a picnic basket and a stereo. When he saw Roxanne he ran towards her and was greeted with a kiss.<p>

"You're late," he teased.

"My sister was talking to me about something," Roxanne explained. "What did you bring?"

He opened the basket. "I told Minion I was going to the observatory and needed thinking food, enough for two people. Unfortunately, his idea of thinking food is a couple of ham sandwiches, so it's not very fancy."

"I'm sure they're delicious."

He grinned and then clicked a remote he had been hiding. Roxanne turned as the stereo erupted into "Highway to Hell."

"Oops," Megamind laughed nervously. "Wrong station."

He pressed another button and the music switched to "I've Got a Crush on You."

"Someone could have heard that," said Roxanne. "And I mean someone with super good hearing."

Megamind shrugged. "So I wanted to make this more romantic. So sue me."

She giggled but then remembered what she had to ask. "Romeo, we have a problem. Rachel wants to meet you."

His eyes widened in panic. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

"She thinks I'm dating a normal guy named Romeo. Remember, you sent those flowers. I had to tell her something. She wants us to eat at one of the places she works at. I said I'd ask you first. So what do you want to do?"

Megamind pondered on this. He knew it was hard for her to keep all this from her sister, considering how close the two were. He also had the temptation of meeting her family. Well, he certainly didn't want to meet the mother, but the sister didn't sound as bad.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," he declared. "I could wear the disguise."

"But it's not as romantic when you're in a disguise," Roxanne complained. "I'd rather see your face than a fake one."

"Really?"

"Hey, you were in disguise when we first met. That did not make me happy."

* * *

><p>It was that same evening that Rachel was working at <em>La Lune<em> and having a rough shift. She groaned when she was asked to take the garbage out. It took all her strength to drag the heavy bag out into the alley. As she shut the door, she heard the sound of clanking metal behind her.

She turned and saw a pair of robotic feet sticking out of the dumpster. As the figure emerged, she found that attached to those feet was a gorilla-like body and a glass dome containing a fish where a head should be. Rachel let out a shriek and the fish screamed when he saw her too.

"It's you!" he cried.

Rachel blinked in confusion. "What do you mean it's me?"

The fish took out a black and white bat. "Sorry, woman whom I have never met before, but I'm going to have to hit you with this."

"Hold on a second!"

He was about to whack her when she grabbed the stick in mid-air.

"I know you," she said defiantly.

"You do?" he asked nervously.

"Of course, I do! You're that fish who works for Blue Boy!"

Minion relaxed. "That's right, I am! And I'm sorry, Rachel, but I can't have you know I was here."

He attempted to knock her out again, but like before, she stopped his blow. This time, she yanked it out of his grasp and Minion gawked at her strength.

"How did you know my name?" she demanded.

"Um," Minion stammered as he searched for an answer. "Nametag?"

Rachel glanced down at her waitress uniform and nametag.

"Oh, right."

"Can I have my Forget-Me-Stick back now?"

"Is that what this is called? That would explain how you knocked out the prison cook."

"You know about that?"

"My sister reported that incident, of course I know!"

He pretended to be surprised. "Oh, you're Roxanne Ritchi's sister! I should have guessed. You look just like her."

_My god, why did I tell him that?_

"I'd love to stay and chat, Miss Ritchi," Minion said, "but I have to get going and if you wouldn't mind giving that back…"

He reached for it but she did a quick maneuver under his arm. "You want it, Fish Boy? You're going to have to answer some questions."

"Okay, now you're just being mean!"

"I'd figure you'd get used to it with Blue Boy around. First off, what are you doing out here?"

Minion was hesitant, but he realized there was no harm in telling her because she wouldn't remember anyway.

"Sir ordered me to find some scrap metal for his latest invention, so I've been searching every dumpster I've come across. May I have the stick back now?"

"Not so fast, Piranha Guy. I want to know if you know where your boss sneaks off to at night."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about?"

Rachel saw it in his baffled expression that he was not aware of what was going on. She could have sworn those autumn brown eyes looked familiar.

"Have we met?" she wondered aloud.

"No, we are complete strangers, Miss Ritchi! Now please give me the stick."

"What does Blue Boy want with my sister?"

"Excuse me?"

She poked the stick in his chest. "Has he said anything about her? Does he plan to hurt her?"

Minion took the opportunity and grabbed the end of the stick. "Ha-ha, sucker!"

"Hey, no fair!"

They got into a tug-o-war with it and found themselves going in circles.

"It's _my_ stick!" Minion shouted. "Give it back!"

"Not until you tell me what Megamind wants with my sister!"

"We don't care about your sister!"

"Don't give me that! You've heard the rumors about her and Metro Dork!"

"Wait, rumors?"

He was caught off guard and Rachel yanked the weapon away.

"Yes, rumors!" she declared. "Roxanne doesn't give a hoot for that spoiled hunk! So if your boss is planning to use her in some way, he better quit it!"

The backdoor to the restaurant opened and another waitress poked her head out. "Hey, Rachel, are you done with the…?"

Rachel and Minion froze and the waitress screamed. Without thinking, Rachel whacked her on the head with the Forget-Me-Stick and she was out like a light.

"Oh my god!" she shrieked. "I've killed her!"

"No, she's fine," Minion assured her. "She'll come to in a bit and won't remember seeing me. We can't leave her lying out here though."

He lifted the waitress under the arms and dragged her inside. He came back out and closed the door with a relieved sigh.

"See how much trouble you're causing?" he said to Rachel, gesturing to the door. "Now give me that stick before I have to hit someone else!"

He grabbed for the stick again. Following on instinct, she hit him with it, but all that did was rattle the glass dome and swish the water around.

"Are you crazy?' Minion asked dizzily. "You could've broken the glass!"

"Gee, sorry," Rachel muttered. "But I would appreciate it if you'd stop attacking me and tell me what business Blue Boy has with my sister!"

"Look, the only plans we ever discussed about your sister was to kidnap her and use her as bait! Okay, that was my idea, but sir never really agreed to it. Maybe that's because he… Oh, never mind. The point is we mean no harm to you or your sister."

Rachel searched his face for signs of lying, but found none. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

She stared at him, then handed him back his weapon. "Okay, just checking."

"Thank you," Minion said gratefully.

"I guess you're going to have to knock me out now."

"Yep."

"It's a shame. I wouldn't remember meeting you then."

Minion blinked but then raised the stick.

"Before you do it," Rachel added, "let me say one thing."

"Fine, what is it?"

She smiled at him. "You're kind of cute, for a fish."

He paused and stared. Rachel closed her eyes, waiting for the blow. She figured it wasn't going to hurt much. After all, she wouldn't remember it hurting. She waited, but nothing happened.

"Just don't tell anyone, okay?"

Rachel opened her eyes in surprise and watched him tuck the stick away. She looked at him, demanding an explanation, but he gave her none. Then she grinned.

"It's not as if anyone would believe me anyway."

Minion chuckled uneasily as he turned to go. "Oh, and don't follow me."

Rachel shrugged. "Fair enough. Besides, I have to make sure Lola is okay."

"You might want to get an icepack. That thing gives a nasty headache."

"Thanks for the advice."

He smiled at her one last time before disappearing with his pile of scrap metal.

* * *

><p>"I don't know about this," Megamind said as they walked into New Beginnings.<p>

"Don't worry," Roxanne whispered. "I'm sure she'll love you."

She felt a little uncomfortable with his disguise, a modified version of the one he had worn on New Year's. But it was the only way they could be together in public.

A waiter greeted them at the front. "Good afternoon. Welcome to New Beginnings. Would that be two for lunch?"

Rachel appeared and shoved him out of the way. "I'll take care of this one, Hank. Hey, I'm Rachel. I'll be serving you today."

"Rach," Roxanne started, "this is…"

"Romeo, I know. Pleased to finally meet you."

Megamind cringed at her firm grip as she shook his hand.

"Wow, it feels so real," Rachel murmured.

"What was that?" Roxanne asked.

"Nothing! Come, I'll get you two lovebirds to your table."

She led them to a small booth by the window and handed them their menus.

"Might I recommend the triple-decker grilled cheese? It may seem ordinary, but it's certainly hard to finish. Tell me, Romeo, have you ever been arrested?"

Megamind froze. "Huh?"

"Could you give us a moment to decide, Rach?" Roxanne begged.

Her sister smiled. "Of course. Oh, and let me know if your beau has any allergies: dairy, eggs, fish, super heroes…"

"What was that last one?" Megamind asked.

"Fish? You're not a fish eater, are you?"

"Um, no. I have a pet fish, as a matter of fact."

"Good, because that would be inhumane."

"Rachel," Roxanne warned.

"Okay, I get it. You two need your privacy. See you in a bit!"

Megamind gave an exasperated sigh. "I think she knows!"

"She's like that with everybody," Roxanne assured him. "You can relax."

But Rachel was back again. "What's your favorite color, Romeo? Mine's green, what's yours?"

The disguised alien was lost for words. "Um…"

"I'll bet it's blue. You seem like that kind of guy."

"Rachel," Roxanne whispered.

"You sure you don't have any allergies or some skin condition?"

"Rachel."

"What's your IQ? Do you have any mental problems?"

"Rachel, would you…?"

"Do you wear a wig?" She tugged at his hair and Megamind yelped. "Wow, you've got this on real tight!"

"Rachel! Stop bothering him! What's the matter with you?"

"Gosh, sorry! I'm just interrogating him. Do you have your order yet?"

"Just give us anything, please!" Megamind beseeched.

"Two orders of anything, coming right up!"

The couple buried their faces in their hands as she walked away.

"Your sister is…very disconcerting."

"I know," Roxanne moaned. "But she's just looking out for me. She also doesn't want me to date another Benjamin. I'm sure she'll get used to you in time. By the way, how does that disguise work? It feels so real!"

Megamind smirked. "I'd explain it to you, but I don't think you'd understand it."

"Are you saying I'm not smart enough to understand how the watch works?"

"No, I'm saying you wouldn't understand it because I hardly understand it myself."

Rachel watched from the kitchen as they laughed together. She wondered if she should confront them. She had no idea what Blue Boy's intentions were and was afraid of what would happen to her sister. Then again, by the look in his eyes, he really did seem to be into her. Maybe he wasn't planning anything malicious after all.

She considered the possibility, but then her mind wandered to an unusual subject. It was strange, for she found herself not thinking of Megamind, but of his Minion.

* * *

><p><strong>I should probably tell you. New Beginnings is a restaurant I went to a couple of times with my grandparents. It's true, those triple-decker grilled cheeses are a killer!<strong>


	13. Penny and Food for Thoughts

**I've had to study for SATs AND be in the school play. So yeah, didn't have much time until now. More fluff with both couples!**

* * *

><p>There was a disadvantage to dating Megamind. Because he wasn't doing anything evil anymore, things in Metro City were becoming normal. And normal was boring. Hence, all Roxanne's reports were becoming very dull. Frankly, the biggest news in town was the opening of a hamburger stand.<p>

It was a warm February day and by late afternoon, Roxanne was yawning.

"This is stupid," Hal said. "We're getting the most boring stuff."

"I know what you mean, Hal," the reporter grumbled. "Strangely, I almost wish we were being attacked by a giant robot."

"Hey, Roxie."

Roxanne jumped as Metro Man appeared behind her. She had never been so glad to see him.

"I wanted to talk to you…" he began.

"Wayne, can I get an interview from you?" she pleaded. "Hal and I are desperate!"

"Oh, um, okay."

"Hal, get the camera!"

He started rolling, though rolled his eyes to himself.

"Good afternoon, Metro City," Roxanne said into the camera. "This is Roxanne Ritchi, here with our renowned super hero. Metro Man, it seems your rival, Megamind, has been awfully quiet for the past month. Why do you think that is?"

The hero flashed a smile. "Well, Roxie, my opinion is that he's planning something big and he's probably leading the city into a sense of security before unleashing his wrath. Either that, or he's sick."

"But don't you think this could be good for the city without Megamind running rampant through the streets?"

"Uh, I guess so, but I wouldn't get too comfortable. Megamind is very dangerous and you never know what he'll do."

"Maybe he's just misunderstood."

"What?"

"I mean…I'm sure there's a good reason as to why he hasn't been doing anything."

"Roxie, may I now ask _you_ a question?"

"Well, okay."

"I know our last date didn't turn out so well, but I was thinking…maybe we should try again some time?"

Roxanne glanced nervously at the camera. "Um, no thank you, Metro Man."

"Why not?"

"I told you I have a boyfriend!"

She flinched at her outburst, but then straightened herself up.

"Well, thank you for your time. This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live with the city's hero."

She hastened with the cut signal.

"What was that?" Hal asked.

"Yeah, Roxie, what was that?" Metro Man demanded.

Roxanne put her hands to her head. "Could you guys just…? Ugh!"

She stormed off with no idea where she was going. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face Wayne.

"Roxie, are you alright?"

She calmly exhaled. "I'm fine. I've just been having a hard day. If you don't mind, Wayne, I need some time alone."

"Okay. Well, if you need anything, just call."

Roxanne kept on walking before sitting on a bench where not a person was in view. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she smiled as she got a text from Megamind: _Saw your report. You ok?_

She responded: _Frustrated. Reports are boring and MM annoying._

After a few minutes, he replied: _Will fix that. LOL _

She raised an eyebrow at that last bit, not just because she wondered how he would fix it. For some reason, he did that at the end of almost every text.

Roxanne didn't know what she was going to do now, but simply decided to sit there in silence. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a car, but saw nothing. She stood up as Megamind's face appeared out of nowhere.

"Ollo, gorgeous," he said, reaching over to open the passenger door. "Interested in being kidnapped?"

She smirked. "Aren't people supposed to be kidnapped against their will?"

"You're right. Why am I asking?"

He let out an evil cackle as he snatched her arm and dragged her inside. Roxanne couldn't help but laugh too.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they sped off.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" he taunted.

* * *

><p>Once her shift was over, Rachel decided to walk to the docks instead of going home. It wasn't that far from the restaurant anyway. She needed to think about this situation with her sister and Megamind. Should she do something? Should she talk to Roxanne about it?<p>

She was pulled out of her musings as she rounded the corner and spotted someone else at the old pier. She screamed and so did the intruder.

"Minion?"

"Oh no," the fish said. "Not you again!"

He took out the Forget-Me-Stick and hid it behind his back. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Okay, what are you doing here?"

Minion stood and put his hands on his hips. "I'm sorry, is it illegal to sit by the water?"

"This is my thinking place!"

"No, this is _my_ thinking place!"

"Wait, come again?"

"Okay, so I only found it about a year ago and have been coming here to clear my head."

"I've been coming here since I was a kid."

Minion blinked and then laughed nervously. "Oh. You know what? You found this place first, so I'm just going to leave."

He picked up his basket and was about to go when Rachel blocked his path.

"You're not getting off the hook that easily. Why would a fish need a thinking spot?"

"One that talks and sits in a body suit?"

"Good point. Mind telling me what you were thinking about?"

Minion tried to get past. "Why should I tell you?"

She moved in front of him again. "I'm bored. Come on. A penny for your thoughts?"

He gave her a scrutinized look. "Where's the penny?"

Rachel dug through her apron, where she had kept her tip money and pulled out a penny.

"Wow," Minion marveled, taking the small coin. "You really mean what you say, don't you?"

"Go on, spill."

He sighed and sat on the pier. Rachel settled beside him, prepared to listen.

"My boss has been acting really weird lately," the fish confessed. "I don't know what it is. He keeps having mood swings, he's always going out somewhere and he's spending a lot of time on the phone. I don't know who he could be calling! I mean his only contacts are that outlet store in Romania, that company in Japan, that secret military base in Nevada and I should stop talking now."

Rachel giggled.

"He hasn't even been planning anything! All he's made is that dream thing that doesn't even work and the stick and that knockout spray. You know on one of the tests for that, he turned pink?"

That caused her to burst out laughing. "Are you serious? Blue Boy became _Pink_ Boy?"

"Yeah, for about five minutes. Okay, it _was_ pretty funny."

"Why didn't you bring that along other than the stick? It would have been cool to turn pink."

"Oh no, that spray is still in the experimental stage. He can't seem to get it right. The first time it actually did knock him out, it was for practically a whole day. The next time was for three days."

"That would explain why they didn't go out for three days," Rachel muttered to herself.

"What's that?"

"Nothing!"

"So what did _you_ come here to think about?"

Rachel held out her hand. Minion sighed and handed her the same penny.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "You see, my sister has this really big secret which she thinks I don't know about, but I do. I want to talk to her about it, because I'm really worried about her. But I guess I just don't have the courage to do it."

"What kind of a secret is it?"

She wondered if she should tell him.

"It doesn't matter. I don't know what to do."

She turned away and Minion watched her. He understood how it felt to have something bottled up inside without the gut to let it out. He'd been keeping most of his thoughts from Megamind for years. It kept his boss happy, but it didn't make Minion happy. He wasn't going to let someone else make the same mistake.

"Well, if you have something to say to your sister, you should say it!"

She looked up at him and smiled. "I think you're right."

He stared into her blue eyes for a moment. _Gosh, she has such pretty eyes_.

"I," he stammered, "made some pie." He gestured toward the basket. "It's apple. Do you want some?"

"Apple's my favorite!" Rachel exclaimed. "Wait, fish can bake?"

"Hey, sir gave me these hands. I have to do _something_ with them."

She laughed again, causing Minion to grin. "Can't argue with that logic."

* * *

><p>Roxanne screamed as Megamind headed for a wall, but gasped as he drove through it. Next thing she knew, they were inside an old warehouse. Megamind got out and opened the car door for her. She gaped in awe at all the inventions surrounding her.<p>

"Welcome to my Evil Lair," the alien announced.

"You mean you live here?"

"No, I just rented this place out to impress you. Of course, I live here!"

"What did you do exactly? Did you just find this place and move in?"

Megamind shrugged. "It started out that way. Then I managed to get enough money and buy this place legally, though I always use my real name during business transactions. I got this very cheap. No one else was bidding on it!"

She looked at him suspiciously. "Where did you get the money for it?"

"Before you say anything, I didn't steal it! In my early years, I invented non-malicious machines and sold them. My best customers are the Japanese."

"Really? What did you invent?"

"You've heard of the Blu-Ray, right?"

Her jaw dropped. "You mean you actually…?"

"Why do you think it's blue?"

"That's just…just…"

She tackled him and they fell back on the black leather couch.

"Amazing," she finished before pressing her lips against his mouth.

As she pulled away, Megamind sighed softly and uttered the first thing that came to mind: "Marry me."

Roxanne's eyes widened. "What?"

The alien stiffened as his words sunk in. He considered taking them back, but it was too late. Already she was moving off him. Then he realized, even if he could, he didn't want to take the words back. He adjusted himself and took her hands.

"Yes," he nodded. "Marry me! We'll go someplace far away where no one, not even Metro Man, can find us!"

"Are…" Roxanne stammered. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am! Why shouldn't I be?"

"What about Minion and your Brainbots? You can't leave them behind, can you?"

"We can take them with us! I'm sure Minion will understand once I explain how much you mean to me."

"What about Rachel?"

"She's old enough. Besides, she'll have the apartment to herself! She'll be fine with it."

"Megamind…Romeo, we can't."

His excitement faded. "You don't want to get married?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Someday, maybe, but this is all so sudden and I'm simply not ready for marriage now. We haven't even been seeing each other for that long. And I can't abandon my sister now, not when she needs me to help her get back on her feet. So you see, I can't say yes."

Roxanne could see how this was crushing him and she couldn't blame him. She was the first person to ever love him this way and he was most likely not going to find anyone else. That's why her next sentence was intended to comfort him.

"But I can't say no either."

It worked. In his eyes was a glimmer of hope and Roxanne was determined to fulfill that hope.

* * *

><p>"This is the best pie I've ever tasted!" Rachel said with her mouthful of apple. "You give me this recipe and I could be promoted to head chef!"<p>

"Why do you work as a waitress?" Minion had to ask.

"It pays the bills. In truth, I always wanted to be a fashion designer."

"I design clothes. In fact, I've designed all of sir's outfits."

Rachel nearly choked on her pie as she stared up at him in amazement.

"_You_ designed Blue Boy's getup?"

"Well, yeah."

"My god, that ensemble is absolute genius! All the magazines talk about it! You're practically a fashion god! You have to show me all your secrets!"

"Hmm, I don't know about _all_ my secrets."

"You're right, sorry, but man, this is such an honor!"

They spent the next twenty minutes or so swapping fashion tips and chatting about pie. Rachel strangely found Minion easy to talk to. Maybe that's because he was a fish, though he was the first fish to talk back.

Suddenly, she felt guilty about keeping this big secret from him. He had a right to know. He was Megamind's only friend. She blurted it out before she could stop it.

"Your boss is dating my sister."

Minion froze. "Come again?"

She bit her lip nervously. The cat was out of the bag now.

"Megamind, your boss" she said more slowly, "is dating my sister, Roxanne."

He dropped his slice of pie into the lake. Then he laughed.

"Good one!" he exclaimed. "That's hilarious! Such a thing could never happen! And even if it were true, why?"

"They're in love," Rachel stated seriously.

"Oh, you're just full of stuff, aren't you? To think, that sir could fall in love with…"

When he saw that she wasn't laughing, Minion quieted down. Then he recalled the event on New Year's and all the uneasiness his boss had been experiencing over the past month. It all clicked together.

"You must be kidding," he insisted. "Who in their right mind would fall in love with an alien super villain?"

"Roxanne would."

"No, no. I think you're mistaken."

"I'm not. They've been doing this for over a month now. I've seen them together. They don't know that I know. That's why I came here."

"How do I know you're not making this up?"

Rachel thought back to the night she had caught them. "Blue Boy wears hazard symbol pajamas and bat slippers."

Minion said nothing for a moment. Then he got up and ran, leaving an ashamed Rachel and the remains of the pie behind.

* * *

><p><strong>Dun, dun, dun!<strong>


	14. Discovery

**I hate myself for this chapter, but it had to happen.**

* * *

><p>After he had given Roxanne a tour of the Lair, Megamind remembered the object in his pocket.<p>

"Roxanne," he said, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "I have something for you."

The reporter was puzzled as he took out a strange blue item tied to a string.

"What's that?" she asked.

He hesitated. "It's a, um, necklace."

"That's a pretty unusual necklace. Why is it glowing?"

"You don't like it?"

"No! It's lovely. Why don't you put it on me?"

As he tied the necklace around her neck, the pendant glowed a little brighter. Megamind smiled while Roxanne looked at it questionably.

"It has a mind of its own," her beau said.

"Where did you get this?"

"On my planet, it was a token of affection."

"Aw, that's so sweet." She examined the blue object more closely. "Are these teeth marks?"

"Um, I guess one of the Brainbots must have gotten a hold of it. Promise me you'll wear it?"

"Of course, but why is that important to you?"

"Let me put it this way. As long as you wear it, I know you love me."

Roxanne grinned and gave him a quick kiss. "You know, I've been wondering. What would have happened if you really did kidnap me?"

Her boyfriend shrugged. "I don't know. I think you would have fallen for me nevertheless. After all, I _am_ devilishly handsome."

"You sure? I think if someone tried to use me as bait, I'd never go out with him."

"Oh, but I would make sure that you would fall for me!"

"Really? How would you do that exactly?"

His hand snaked up her arm. "Do you want a demonstration?"

"Why not? This should be interesting."

"Give me a moment."

He rushed to the kitchen, pulled out a chair and placed it in the center of the Lair. Then he was gone for a few minutes and came back with a bit of rope.

"Now remember," he said, leading Roxanne to the chair, "this is only a test of the emergency kidnapping system. This is only a test. If this were an actual kidnapping, you'd be knocked out first and have a bag over your head."

She smirked as she sat down. "I'll pretend for your sake."

She closed her eyes and hung her head as Megamind tied her hands to the chair. He then hastened to his rolling chair and faced away from her. He saw a floating Brainbot and gestured for it to sit in his lap. He patted the dome as if it were a cat.

"Can I wake up now?" Roxanne called from her seat.

"Go on," Megamind replied. "I'm ready."

She groaned and acted as if she was arousing from sleep. "Where am I?"

The alien couldn't help but chuckle before putting on his evil mask.

"Miss Ritchi," he said with a turn, "we meet again."

Roxanne almost lost it when she saw his sitting position. "You really expect me to take you seriously like _that_?"

Megamind deflated and let go of the Brainbot. "Just go with it, Roxanne, please?"

"Okay, sorry." She pretended to be scared. "Oh no, I've been kidnapped by Megamind!"

He cackled. "That's right! You can scream all you wish, Miss Ritchi! I'm afraid no one can hear you!"

He cupped his ear and waited for the scream, but all he got was an annoyed look.

"I am _so_ not screaming."

Megamind pouted. "Please? Just this once?"

Roxanne rolled her eyes and gave a halfhearted scream. "Oh, what are you going to do with me, you devil?"

The alien decided to just roll with it and scooted his chair closer.

"Well, I might feed you to my alligators. Maybe I'd point one of my menacing guns at you."

"Oh, you monster!"

"Or maybe I would do this."

He kissed her and Roxanne surrendered. When he pulled away, her fake fright was gone.

"You're so evil," she whispered.

"I know."

Neither of them heard the door open, nor the clanking of metal feet. Minion was searching for his boss, hoping that what Rachel had told him was a lie, but how could she have known about the pajamas? It was then that he heard the voices. One of them was his master's, but the other was female.

"Can we do this more often? Only next time, I tie _you_ to the chair!"

"Oh, you temptress!"

Then there was quiet, which bothered Minion. When he approached the main part of the Lair, he gasped and couldn't believe his eyes. There was Roxanne Ritchi, tied to a chair, his boss all over her.

The pair pulled apart when something crashed through the ceiling. They turned to see Metro Man, his eyes darting between the two of them. Then his gaze dropped down to Roxanne's tied wrists. Megamind looked in the same direction and gulped.

"This isn't what it looks like!" he insisted.

"What have you done to her?" the hero muttered.

"Wayne, I can explain!" Roxanne pleaded.

"You fiend!"

Megamind didn't hesitate to run. His foe charged at him, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded. "Torture her? Brainwash her? You've gone too far this time!"

Minion emerged from his hiding place and jumped at Metro Man from behind. "Leave him alone!"

"Minion?" Megamind choked. "When did you…?"

"Keep out of this!" the powerful man bellowed.

With a swipe of his hand, he sent the fish flying. As he crashed, the glass shattered, draining the water as the suit fell limply to the floor.

"Minion!"

Metro Man's grip on his throat tightened and the alien struggled to breathe.

"Wayne!" Roxanne cried out in horror. "What are you doing? Stop it!"

She attempted to get up but the ropes held her to the chair.

"Please, Wayne, let him go! You don't understand! Get away from my boyfriend!"

Upon hearing this, Metro Man released Megamind and turned to Roxanne in disbelief.

"Boyfriend?" he repeated.

"Yes!" Roxanne exclaimed. "Boyfriend!"

"What did he do to you?"

"Nothing! He's done nothing! Why can't you leave him alone? Why can't you leave _us_ alone?"

Metro Man continued to stare at her, not believing a word she was saying. He was so confused that he didn't see Megamind sneaking to his hover bike. It was as he was flying through the hole in the roof that Metro Man came to his senses.

"I won't let him touch you ever again!" he declared to Roxanne before taking off.

"Wayne, no!" Roxanne begged. "Please, just leave him alone! This wasn't his fault!"

He ignored her desperate pleas and chased after his foe. The reporter tried to free herself. Fortunately, Megamind hadn't used a strong knot. She rushed toward the exit, but then heard Minion gasping for air. She couldn't leave the fish lying there. He was the only friend Megamind had.

She picked him up and headed to the bathroom her beau had shown her.

"What are you doing?" Minion asked.

"I'm getting you some water."

"Why?"

She didn't answer. She opened the door to the bathroom and filled the tub, plopping the fish inside.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked again.

"No time to explain. I have to stop Wayne!"

* * *

><p>Megamind doubted he was going to out-fly the hero in his rage, but he had no other choice. He glanced back with panic at Metro Man's burning red eyes. A laser shot out of them and fried his bike, sending the alien plummeting towards the Earth. He called out for his Brainbots, which he had hovering around town just in case. They caught him by the arms.<p>

"I'm calling a time-out!" Megamind cried, making a T with his hands.

Metro Man kept chasing him.

"Time out? Time out!"

It was no use trying to stop him. The hero caught up with him and crashed him into the abandoned observatory. He had him by the throat again.

"Was this your way of getting to me?" he demanded, fist ready to punch. "You brainwash my girl so you can humiliate me and or destroy me?"

"No!" Megamind proclaimed. "I would never do that to her!"

"You expect me to believe that? Why else would you kidnap her? Why else would you be looming all over her?"

"Because I _love_ her!"

Metro Man paused and his anger started to fade. "What?"

"You heard me! I love her! That's why I haven't attacked the city! She's _changed_ me!"

"You…you're lying! Why on Earth would she want to be with _you_?"

"She doesn't love you! She never did! She loves _me_!"

He stared into his eyes and found no signs of lying. But Megamind was aware what he had done. He had crossed a line. He winced and waited for the end to come, but instead, Metro Man dropped him to the floor. He watched as the hero fell to his knees. There was despair on his face and he knew it was because of Roxanne.

_Roxanne!_ She was still tied up back at the Lair! He had to go to her! He had to get out of here!

He felt his pockets for something to slow Metro Man down and found a couple of small explosives. He switched them on and raced for the exit.

* * *

><p>Roxanne was running down the street, not knowing where the adversaries had gone. Then she heard an explosion and saw the abandoned observatory blow to oblivion. There was only one possibility.<p>

"Romeo!"

* * *

><p>The police and an ambulance were standing beside the rubble once Roxanne had arrived. A few civilians had come to see what had happened. Some of the officers were searching the remains of the observatory.<p>

"What's going on?" she asked one of them.

"Someone blew up the observatory," he explained.

"Do you have any idea who did it?"

"It looks like Megamind's work. We found a few traces of metal that weren't from the building." The officer suddenly recognized her. "Hey, you're Roxanne Ritchi, aren't you?"

"Yes. Officer, was anyone…hurt in the explosion?"

"So far, no. Luckily, there weren't any innocent bystanders."

"Hey, we've got something!" one of the men shouted from the pile of rubble.

Roxanne's heart stopped. There, in their hands, covered in soot and charred by the explosion, was Metro Man's cape. The crowd shrieked.

"You don't think…?"

"It's impossible. He's indestructible!"

"He hasn't shown up with Megamind at the prison."

The officer Roxanne had been talking to was leading her to a police car. "Come on, Miss Ritchi. Let's take you home."

"Officer," she choked. "Tell me it's not what it looks like."

"I'm afraid it is. It appears that Megamind finally did it. He won."


	15. Intervention

**I've had a lot of things on my hands, and I don't think I'll have time to write another chapter for a while, probably not until summer vacation starts. Also, I've been trying to work out how I'm going to end this. Anyway, things get a little more angsty in this chapter.**

* * *

><p>Rachel was still at the docks when she saw the abandoned observatory explode. She didn't connect it with the situation, but decided not to walk back to work. When the taxi passed by her apartment building, she noticed the police car and asked the driver to stop. She paid him and got out just as the officer was leading her sister inside.<p>

"Hey, what's going on?" she demanded. "Is Roxanne in trouble?"

"Miss Ritchi has just been through a shock," the officer said, "so if you would kindly…"

"It's alright," Roxanne insisted. "She's my sister."

"Oh, very well. I'll leave her in your hands then."

Rachel escorted her to the elevator, pleading for the details, but Roxanne remained quiet. It wasn't until they were in the apartment that she asked again.

"Stop keeping secrets from me, Roxanne. What's happened?"

The reporter plopped down on the couch. "Metro Man's dead."

Rachel's eyes widened. "Wait. _What_?"

"He found out. And Megamind…"

Roxanne stopped once she realized who she was talking to.

"Hold up a second," Rachel said. "Are you telling me that Blue Boy _killed_ him?"

"He didn't mean to! Wayne was going to kill him! And it's my fault!" She wept and found no use hiding from her sister anymore. "Megamind…is Romeo."

Rachel wrapped her arms around her. "I know."

Roxanne pulled away. "You _know_?"

"I saw you two asleep on the couch. I also saw how happy you both looked and decided not to intervene. I guess I should've. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did Blue Boy kill him? I thought nothing could kill Metro Man."

"I thought so too. He chased him to the abandoned observatory. Megamind blew it up. Rach, he's tried to destroy him several times but he never thought it would work! He doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore! He told me so himself!"

"He actually said that?"

"Yes! He said he'd do it for me!"

"Whoa, I guess he really did have it bad for you."

"Oh, Rach, what am I to do? I love him."

"How do you know he wasn't just leading you on? What if romancing you was part of his plot to destroy Metro Man?"

"Rach, how can you say that? You've never said anything bad about him even before I met him!"

"Things were different then! He was just a villain who wasn't that scary. But now he's _killed_ someone. It's best to stay away from him."

"But he might not have survived the explosion! I have to find him!"

"Roxanne, you can't! It's too dangerous!"

The phone interrupted them. Rachel answered it.

"Hello?" She handed it to Roxanne. "It's your boss."

"Yes, Mr. Stubbs?" she said in a strained voice.

"The whole city knows about it, Roxanne," her boss said. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

"No."

"Everyone thinks Megamind's next step will be to take over City Hall. If you're not in the mood, you don't have to…"

"No, I'll be there."

She wanted to see Megamind anyway.

* * *

><p>Every police on the force and every reporter in town had been waiting outside of City Hall for hours for Megamind's approach. Hal had the camera ready and Rachel was supporting Roxanne's weight. She allowed her sister to come, because she felt like she couldn't do this alone.<p>

"It's getting late," Hal observed. "Think he's gonna show?"

"I doubt it," Roxanne murmured.

She was staring at the building's steps, where she had first seen Megamind. She remembered those few seconds when their eyes had locked and she wondered if even then, he had been attracted to her. Yes, that's what she had seen in those eyes. He had been in love with her since the beginning.

Roxanne clutched the glowing blue pendant that still hung on her neck. _As long as you wear it, I know you love me._ Those had been his words. She hated herself for even considering taking it off. He could have been lying. It could be some sort of menacing device. But no matter what the possibilities, she couldn't bring herself to remove it.

"You alright, Roxie?" Hal asked.

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just want to go home."

"What about Megamind?"

"What's the point, Hal? He's not coming."

"She's having a tough time," Rachel explained. "I really should get her home."

They took the news van, the younger sibling at the wheel. She finally noticed the necklace.

"Did Blue Boy give you that?"

Roxanne nodded.

"I wouldn't keep that on if I were you. Who knows what it does?"

"He loves me, Rachel," Roxanne muttered. "Can't you see that? He's not taking over the city."

"Maybe he doesn't want to get arrested for murder."

"He's not a murderer!"

"Anyone who kills somebody is a murderer!"

"Stop the van!"

As Rachel slammed on the breaks, Roxanne stormed out of the vehicle.

"Roxie? Where are you going?"

The reporter didn't answer, only ran. She searched the dark, empty streets for the Lair. She had to see him. She didn't stop running, not even when the rain came.

Then she finally saw the old warehouse with the graffiti wall surrounding it. She scaled the wall and spotted a doormat labeled 'Secret Entrance.' She stepped through the holographic wall and opened the front door.

"Megamind?" she called. "Romeo?"

She was met with a swarm of Brainbots. They charged for her but then stopped once they recognized the intruder who had been here earlier that day. They scattered when Minion approached, in a brand new robot suit. The fish was shocked and furious.

"Oh, it's _you_," he spat. "Haven't you already caused enough trouble today?"

"I need to see Romeo," Roxanne pleaded.

Minion froze. "Who?"

"Romeo, I need to see Romeo Megablue."

"I'm sorry, but there's no one here who goes by that name. Now, if you would kindly escort yourself out…"

"You know very well who I'm talking about! Where's Megamind?"

"He's not seeing anyone at the moment!" The fish's eyes widened once he noticed the glowing blue necklace. "Where did you get _that_?"

"He gave it to me! Now where is he?"

"Minion?" called a voice. "What's all the commotion?"

The blue alien emerged from his room and Roxanne's face lit up. Minion tried to block her from his friend's view.

"Nothing, sir," he claimed. "Just a minor disturbance."

Megamind stood frozen in place once the intruder peeked out from behind the fish.

"Roxanne?"

She pushed past Minion and rushed to him. "Romeo!"

She attacked him in a tight embrace and Megamind glanced nervously at his shocked friend.

"I'm so glad you're alive!" Roxanne sobbed, checking him over. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"No," he replied. "It's just a few bruises. What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? I came to see that you were alright."

He glanced down at her neck. "You're still wearing it."

"Of course I am!"

"But why? I thought you'd never want to see me again after what I did."

"I know you didn't mean to. Wayne could have killed you. You had to do something."

"Ahem," Minion coughed.

The pair turned to him. His arms were crossed with anger.

"You _told_ her your _name_?" he shouted. "And you _gave_ her your B.I.N.K.E.Y.? Sir, what do you think you're _doing_?"

"I told you I love her!" Megamind said defensively. "I'm willing to give up everything for her!"

"Wait," Roxanne said, looking at the necklace. "This is your binky?"

He bit his lip. "Technically, it's my Blue Nano-Kinetic Energ-Y."

"You told me this was a love token on your planet."

"Oh," Minion snorted. "It's more than that. It's actually hilarious. You want me to tell her, sir?"

Megamind sighed. "No, I'll explain. You see, Roxanne, on my planet, the B.I.N.K.E.Y. is an _energ-y_ source as well as a family heirloom. It's passed down from generation to generation, to the first-born son. Once he is grown-up, he gives it to the woman he wants to marry. It's considered a great sacrifice, since we're usually attached to our childhood toys." He rubbed the back of his neck. "In other words, it's sort of the equivalent to an engagement ring."

Roxanne was touched and shocked at the same time. "Megamind, I told you I'm not ready to get married."

"You even _proposed_ to her?" Minion shrieked. "Aw, this just keeps getting better and better!"

"I didn't _pray-pose_!" Megamind protested. "Alright, so maybe the words 'marry me' did pop up once…" He turned to Roxanne. "I gave you that necklace because even though you're not ready yet, I don't think I'm ever going to find anyone like you. You're the only woman I've ever loved, the only one I _will_ ever love. I want nothing more than for you to feel the same way."

Roxanne was on the verge of tears again as she wrapped her arms around him. "I _do_ feel the same way."

He returned her embrace and then glimpsed at the necklace as it glowed brighter. Roxanne noticed this as well.

"Why does it do that?"

Megamind chuckled. "I suppose it reacts highly to emotion, if you know what I mean."

A voice interrupted their moment. "Okay, hands off my sister, buddy!"

The couple pulled away to see the intruder storming toward them.

"Rachel?" Roxanne asked.

"Great!" Minion moaned. "Just what we need!"

"Oh, hello, Minion," said the young woman bitterly.

"Wait," Roxanne said. "You two know each other?"

"Regretfully," the fish murmured.

"But that's not important right now," Rachel insisted, darting her eyes at Megamind. "You, mister, are in a heap of trouble!"

As she stepped closer, the alien shrunk back in fear.

"It's not what you think!" he exclaimed.

"You're dating my sister!" Rachel shouted.

"Okay, so it _is_ what you think, but it's not as bad!"

"You _murdered_ someone!"

"Hey, that was an accident! I had to escape the observatory, so I took out the explosives that I keep on me for emergencies. I didn't mean to kill him, only to slow him down!"

"That still gave you no right to kill him!"

"I didn't think it would! None of my larger inventions were able to kill him! Besides, what was I supposed to do? He tried to kill me and Minion!"

Rachel's face softened and she looked to the fish. "He tried to kill you?"

"He smashed my bowl," Minion said with a shiver.

She stared at him for a moment, and then turned back to Megamind.

"Okay, if I had been in your boots, I would have thrown a bomb at Metro Man as well. Now, about you and my sister…"

"You _told_ her?" Megamind asked Roxanne in disbelief.

Minion answered. "Oh no, she found out for herself and told _me._ In fact, it was because she had told me that I came rushing here and then nearly died!"

Anger welled up inside Rachel. "Oh, don't go making this _my_ fault!"

"If you think about it, it _is_ your fault! You could have intervened and stopped their relationship from developing! But _no_, you had to keep quiet and let nature take its course!"

The woman crossed her arms. "Well, _you_ were the one too stupid to realize what was going on!"

The fish gasped. "Oh, you did _not_ just go there!"

"I _so_ just did!"

"I'll have you know that I could have stopped this from happening at the party, if _you_ hadn't distracted me!"

"Wait, what are you…?" Then Rachel did a double take on those brown eyes and her mouth dropped open. "Oh no. _No_!"

Minion smiled triumphantly. "Oh, _yes_!"

"That was _you_?"

"Yes, it was me!"

She grunted. "I should have known! What kind of mother would name her child Minson?"

"Well, excuse me, Miss Ritchi, but _you_ were the one who fell for it!"

"Is this a hobby of yours, going to parties to romance women?"

During the whole quarrel, Megamind and Roxanne had been watching the couple with bewilderment.

"What's up with them?" she whispered to him.

"At this moment," he replied, "I have absolutely no idea."

"Do you realize what you've done?" Minion continued. "They're _getting married_ now!"

Rachel gaped at them. "You're _engaged_?"

"No!" the pair protested simultaneously.

"Not officially," Megamind mumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rachel questioned.

"It doesn't matter!" Roxanne shouted. "Alright, we get that you both don't approve of this, but we don't care!" She locked eyes with her sister. "You understand why I'm still with him, right? That's why you've kept out secret. You may not see that now, but nothing has changed. You can criticize me all you want. You can try and take me back. You can even stop talking to me! Try whatever you want, but I'm staying here with Romeo!"

"Not while I'm around!" Minion scowled.

He grabbed his master's arm and tugged him out of Roxanne's grasp. She tried to regain control of him, but Rachel was yanking her in the other direction.

"Minion, let go of me!" Megamind commanded, tightly holding onto Roxanne with his free hand.

"It's for your own good, sir!" Minion insisted.

"Well, what do _you_ know?"

"I may not know much, but I do know this: the bad guy doesn't get the girl!"

"He's _not_ a bad guy!" Roxanne cried. "Rachel, let go!"

"We're going home, Roxie," her sister stated bluntly.

"You're _not_ my mother!"

"Believe us, guys. It's best for the _both _of you!"

The forbidden lovers struggled to remain in contact, but their captors were too strong for them. Slowly, they grew further and further apart. Then their fingers suddenly slipped away from each other and the Ritchi women were headed for the door.

"Roxanne!" Megamind called.

"Romeo!" Roxanne called back. "I love you!"

"Don't worry! I won't give up on you!"

They each watched the other go, until the door came between them.

* * *

><p>Outside, a figure observed the two Ritchi sisters step through the holographic wall, the younger pulling the other into the news van. The stranger took out a camera and snapped some pictures, making sure that the older sister was in every shot.<p> 


	16. The Mystery Woman

**You don't have to ask who the mystery man is (who told you it was a man?).**

* * *

><p>It took all Roxanne's effort to fall asleep. In doing so, she had slipped into a dream where she was on a balcony overlooking a beautiful garden. She wore a red Elizabethan gown and could only guess where all this was going.<p>

"Romeo, Romeo," she sighed. "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"

"I'm down here, Roxanne!"

She looked down and saw her handsome alien standing there, only he wasn't in his usual outfit. He wore his hazard symbol pajamas.

"Why are you wearing that?" she giggled.

Megamind glanced down at himself and blushed. "First, answer me this. Are you dreaming this right now?"

"I believe so."

"Oh, thank goodness! It worked!"

"What worked?"

He held up a small device. "I've been working on this for weeks. I call it the Mind Walker. I wanted to enter your mind and see how you really felt about me, but it apparently only works when I'm asleep and I can only enter dreams. Unfortunately, I had to see several before I finally got to you! By the way, your cameraman's mind is quite disturbing."

Roxanne cringed. "Thanks for the warning. So you're actually here?"

"In a sense, yes. I had to talk with you."

"Then come up here."

Excitedly, he climbed up the vines covering the wall.

"Did I mention how beautiful you look in that dress?" he asked once he was at her eye level.

Roxanne blushed. "You say the sweetest things. Now what did you want to talk about?"

"Minion hasn't let me out of his sight since you left last night."

"Same here. Rachel wouldn't let me out all day! You know what else? My boss is expecting me to come to work in the morning. He wants me to say a special report for Metro Man."

"You should do it. At least I'll get to see you. That is, if Minion doesn't steal the remote."

She took his hands. "I miss you."

"Don't worry, Roxanne. They can't keep us apart forever."

"But you remember what happened to Romeo and Juliet, don't you? What if that's the only way we can be together?"

Megamind huffed. "Romeo and Juliet were a couple of crazy teenagers who got married after talking for five minutes. And you thought _I_ was being hasty!"

Roxanne giggled. "You have a point there. But how can we see each other without Rachel and Minion catching us? Maybe you could try on another disguise?"

"No, Minion already thought of that and took away my watch."

"Since when do you let _him_ order you around?"

"Says the woman being held by her younger sister."

"_Touché_. Wait, I think I have an idea that might…"

Then the world started shaking as a voice above cried, "Roxanne! Get up! You'll be late for work!"

"I'll call you!" was the last thing she said before waking up. Rachel was shaking her wildly.

"Come on, your boss will be mad if you're late!" she exclaimed.

Roxanne sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, let's get this over with."

* * *

><p>"He was always there for us," Roxanne said into the camera later that night. "Dependable."<p>

She was standing in front of City Hall, saying her requested goodbye to Metro Man. Even though he had gotten on her nerves, he was still her friend. She remembered one time in high school when she had lost her backpack and he had used his x-ray vision to find it. Despite the times he had seemed to show off, he did put several criminals in jail, even if one of them was the man she had fallen for. He had still been the city's hero.

"Perhaps we took him for granted," she said. "You know, maybe…we never really know how good we have it, until it's gone. We miss you, Metro Man." She paused as tears came to her eyes. "_I_ miss you."

She quickly thought if she should say anything further. The viewers would expect her to say something against Megamind, since he was the one responsible, but she knew that wasn't true. This was her fault. The city had no hero because of her. She couldn't hold back the tears any longer, so she decided to end the report.

"This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting from a city without a hero."

She hastened for Hal to cut and allowed the waterworks to fall.

"Are you okay, Roxie?" Hal inquired as he put the camera away.

"I'm fine, Hal," she sniffed, wiping away the tears. "I just…you know."

"I know what'll make you feel better. I'm having a party at my place. It's gonna be like off the hook or whatever. You should come over. I got a DJ, rented a bouncy house, made a gallon of dip, it's gonna be sick!"

"I don't know, Hal. I don't feel like being around a bunch of people."

"No, that's the best part! It'll just be like you and me."

Roxanne froze. "Wow, that's, um…I'm gonna pass. I have, um, plans with my sister anyway."

Hal looked slightly disappointed. "Oh, that's cool. Do you need a ride home?"

"No thanks. I'll walk from here."

"Okay, well, if you need anything, all you have to do is call and…"

"Goodnight, Hal!"

She knew it was probably rude, but she needed time alone. However, it was a long way home and it was getting late. She made a mental note to call a taxi once she was out of Hal's sight.

Meanwhile, the cameraman was banging his hand against the news van.

"What's _wrong_ with me?" he shouted. "Rented a bouncy house? Chicks don't like bouncy houses! They like clowns!"

"Where'd you get that, off the internet?"

He turned toward the voice and saw a woman standing there. She was tall with long black hair. She looked especially mysterious with the trench coat and dark sunglasses. Hal smiled immediately.

"Well, hello there. What's a lady like you doing in a neighborhood like this?"

The woman shook her head. "I'm going to regret this. Hal Stewart, I'm about to make you an offer you can't refuse."

"Whoa, how'd you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for a while."

"Really? Am I that interesting?"

She grunted. "As pathetic as you are, I believe you can help me with something."

"Wait, what are we talking about here?"

"Ugh, just get in the van!"

"Well, okay, but where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Mysterious." He said, quirking an eyebrow. "I like that."

The woman lost patience and brought out a strange-looking gun.

"What is that…?"

She pulled the trigger and shot a dart into his neck. The pudgy man collapsed to the ground. As she dragged him into the back of the van, she kicked herself for thinking of this. However, she needed someone for this job and Hal Stewart was the only possible candidate.

* * *

><p>Roxanne got a surprise when she arrived home. Instead of her sister, she was greeted by the last person she wanted to be here.<p>

"Oh, Roxanne!" the woman cried, wrapping her arms around her. "Are you alright?"

"Mom?"

Roberta Ritchi pulled away and got a good look at her. "I came as soon as I heard. Have you been crying? I'm so sorry, honey. You must be devastated."

Roxanne shot her sister a look as she emerged from the kitchen, a guilty look on her face. "Mom's here."

She already knew the reason why. "I appreciate you coming, Mother, but you know Wayne was not really my boyfriend."

"I know," Roberta replied, "but he was still your friend. You remember when he and Casey used to come over for dinner? Whatever happened to that girl, anyway?"

Roxanne flinched at the thought of her old best friend, Casey. In the middle of senior year, they had gotten into a fight and after graduation, they had lost all contact.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged. "Maybe she was serious when she said she didn't want to speak with me again. But that's not important right now. Mom, what are you doing here?"

Roberta scrunched her nose. "I thought it was obvious. I came here to comfort you. I'm also here to help you girls move out."

Both sisters gasped. "What?"

"I want you two to come back to Cincinnati with me."

"You mean _leave_ Metro City?" Rachel squeaked as if the very idea was unimaginable.

"What about my career?" Roxanne said.

"You can get another one," Roberta insisted. "You can't expect to stay here when that blue alien monster can take over at any time!"

"He is _not_ a monster!"

"He _killed_ a man! Why are you defending him? And where did you get that strange necklace?"

"Mom," Rachel intervened, "don't you think you're being a little pushy?"

"Pushy? I'm not having my girls stay in this dangerous city!"

"But this is our home!"

"Do you have any idea what the freak could do? He might turn us all into a slave army!"

Roxanne's phone rang. Rachel figured who was calling, considering the ringtone was "Love Story."

"I have to take this," the reporter said, walking into the kitchen.

"We're not done yet, young lady!" her mother exclaimed.

Once she was alone, she answered the call. "Hey."

"I can only talk for a second," Megamind's voice whispered on the other end. "Are you alright? You didn't look well on TV."

"I just miss Wayne a little bit."

"Again, I'm _really_ sorry."

"Stop blaming yourself. You took a big risk calling. My _mom's_ here! She wants us to leave town!"

"What? You _can't_ leave!"

"I don't want to, if it means being away from you." She thought for a moment. "Actually, maybe we _should_ leave town."

Megamind paused. "What?"

"No, I don't mean it like that. I was thinking we should…"

"Aha!" she heard Minion's voice cry. "Gotcha!"

"Uh oh," Megamind muttered. "Roxanne, I love…"

The line went dead just as Rachel entered the kitchen, narrowing her eyes at her sister.

"I'm not stupid, you know. Do you have any idea what Mom would say if she found out about your mysterious boyfriend?"

"I don't care, Rach. I just _can't_ leave, not without him."

Rachel looked down at her feet. "I know you're going to hate me for saying this, Roxie, but…maybe it's for the best."

Roxanne stared at her sister as if she were a stranger. "You can't mean that."

She sighed. "I'm aware of how much you think you're in love with this guy, but if you choose to stay with him, it's not going to end well. Roxie, I just don't want you to get hurt."

The older sibling scowled. "Then you, both of you, stay the _hell_ out of my life!"

As Roxanne stormed out of the kitchen, Rachel stood there, her face filled with hurt. Roberta tried to stop her daughter.

"Roxanne, you are moving out whether you like it or…"

"I'll sleep on it!" she snapped before slamming her bedroom door.

She was fed up with it all. No one was going to tell her what to do anymore. There was only one option left. She dialed Megamind's number and waited for him to pick up, but the call was sent to voicemail. After the beep, she said her message.

"Megamind, I've decided. I'm tired of this. I love you and I'm not letting Mom, Rachel or Minion standing between us. I'm afraid there's only one thing for us to do. We have to run away."

* * *

><p>"What happened?" Hal groaned as he gained consciousness.<p>

He found himself in the back of the van, surrounded by camera equipment. The door opened in front of him and standing there was a woman. He then remembered how she had shot him with a dart gun.

"Had a nice nap?" she taunted.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

"I apologize, but it was the only way to get you here. Come, I have much to show you."

Hal blinked but then reluctantly climbed out of the van. They were in some old factory with rusted conveyer belts and furnaces.

"Whoa," the cameraman marveled. "Is this where you live?"

The woman snorted. "No, this is where I work."

"You work at a factory? With that outfit, you look more like a secret agent."

"Secret, yes. Agent, no. I'm my own employer."

"So what do you do?"

"I focus my time on…_special_ weaponry."

She led him to a room that used to be an office. The walls were covered in guns. Hal gasped as she set her dart gun in a certain place.

"Wow," he said. "Most chicks are into makeup and nail polish, but guns are good too. Now look, Miss…I didn't quite catch your name."

The woman hesitated. "Cece."

"Cece? Would that be short for Cecelia? Cynthia, maybe?"

"Put a sock in it, Halbert!"

Hal flinched. "Hey, careful! I'm a little sensitive about my full name!"

"Then you'll never know _mine_!"

"Okay, okay. Now what's this all about?"

Cece took a deep breath. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. I have a very important task to accomplish, and you, Mr. Stewart, can help me."

"What sort of work are we talking about here?"

Before answering, the woman opened the drawer to a desk and withdrew its contents. "I want you to help me destroy Megamind."

Hal stared at her and then burst into laughter.

"Oh, I get it! This is one of those hidden camera shows, right? Ha, ha, guys! Very funny! The joke's on me!"

When he saw no one coming out of hiding, he looked at Cece again, glaring under her sunglasses.

"Wait, you were serious? I don't know if you've noticed, lady, but I'm, like, a cameraman. I mean, I once beat up like fifty ninjas, but come on, you can't expect me to beat up Megamind."

"I'm not asking you to beat him up," she reminded him. "I'm asking you to destroy him."

"Beat up, destroy, whatever. Even if I could, why should I help you?"

Cece grinned maliciously. "You like that Roxanne Ritchi, don't you?"

Hal blushed. "Yeah, kind of."

"But of course, you know she has a boyfriend, right?"

"She may have mentioned that, but I don't think it's gonna last."

"After I tell you who her mysterious boyfriend is, you'll want to destroy Megamind as much as I do."

"What does Roxanne's boyfriend have to do with this?"

She waved a wad of photographs in front of him. "I've been following Roxanne Ritchi for months and found some very interesting information."

Hal backed away. "Okay, you're getting all creepy, so I think I'll just…"

Then he caught a glimpse of the first picture and his eyes widened. He grabbed the pile and flipped through them all.

"Is that…is that…?"

Cece nodded. "Yes, _that's_ Roxanne's mysterious boyfriend."

Hal couldn't believe his eyes. In every picture was Roxanne with the super villain. When he came to the one of them kissing on the pier, something boiled over inside him.

"She'd pick that blue alien freak over me?" he exclaimed. "When I get my hands on him, I'll…"

"So we're at an agreement, then?"

He scowled. "Alright, I'm in. Though may I ask why do you want to destroy Megamind so bad?"

The woman turned and walked to the weapon-filled wall. "Let's just say I have my own score to settle with Megamind."

"Oh, so you're like one of those super villains, right? Shouldn't you have like a cool name and costume?"

"Oh please, I'm not getting into that ridiculous charade."

"You know, if I had super powers and such, I'd have like flames and a cape and…"

"I think that can be arranged."

She turned round, pointing a yellow gun at him. Hal stepped back.

"Whoa, what is that thing?"

"One zap of this and you'll have Metro Man's powers, but I'll only give them to you if you promise to destroy Megamind."

"Awesome! Wait, if I have powers, why should I follow _your_ orders?"

"I can give you these powers and take them away just as easily."

"Feisty. I like it."

Cece glared. "Let's just clarify something. You are _not_ to be making _any_ advances towards me whatsoever!

"Okay, sorry!"

"Now, this won't hurt…much."

"Wait, what do you…? Ow!"

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, who was expecting that?<strong>


	17. Running Away

**No, I'm not telling you who the random villain is. I'd like to hear your theories though. Anyway, I've been working out how this part of the plot was going to go down. I've had several versions and this one seemed to fit the best.**

* * *

><p>The next morning, Megamind was chasing Minion around the Lair.<p>

"For the last time, Minion, give me back my phone! I have to call Roxanne back!"

"No way, sir! You're suspended of phone privileges until further notice! You're going cold turkey from now on!"

"You're not cooking anymore?"

Minion rolled his eyes. "I mean you're not seeing any more of that Ritchi woman and that's final!"

"Stop acting like my mother, Minion!"

"Well, _someone's_ gotta be the adult here! You're staying away from her! That family is nothing but trouble!"

"You're just upset because that Rachel broke your heart!"

That caused Minion to freeze and Megamind finally caught up with him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, yes you do!" Megamind taunted. "You're jealous because _I_ can get a girlfriend and _you_ can't!"

"Sir, knock it off! My soul purpose in life is to look after you! I don't want you to get hurt!"

"You don't want me to get hurt? Then leave me alone!"

A familiar voice interrupted their fight. "Hey, Blue Boy!"

They turned to see Rachel storm through the entrance.

"Speak of the Devil," Minion muttered. "Brainbots! You're supposed to take care of intruders!"

A few of the cyborgs swarmed around her, but Rachel just knocked them out of the air. Then she approached Megamind and grabbed him by the shirt.

"Alright, where is she? What did you do with her?"

"What are you talking about?" Megamind asked, blinking in confusion.

"Don't play dumb with me! I know you've got her here!"

Minion pushed her away. "Keep your hands off him! What's this all about?"

Rachel guffawed. "As if _you_ didn't know! Roxanne, where's she hiding?"

"What? Your sister's not here. Even if she was, it wouldn't be without my knowledge. At least, I think so."

His eyes darted towards his boss.

"Why are you looking at me?" Megamind questioned. "How should I know where she is? You took away my phone!"

Rachel blinked. "You mean she's not here?"

"Of course she isn't! What made you think that?"

She crossed her arms. "She wasn't in bed this morning."

"Maybe she went to work."

"All her clothes were gone."

Megamind started to worry. "Maybe she went to get them dry-cleaned?"

"They were already clean."

Minion intervened. "Have you thought of calling her boss?"

"I have, and you know what he said? He said Roxanne stopped by early this morning to hand in her letter of resignation."

Megamind gulped. "She quit?"

"Yeah. Now you see why I thought she ran off with you?"

"But sir's still here," Minion pointed out. "If she's not with him, where is she?"

Rachel took a piece of paper out of her purse. "She left this note."

Megamind snatched it and read it quickly.

_Dear Mom and Rachel,_

_You're right, leaving Metro City is for the best, but I'm doing it out of my own free will. I'm sorry, but I'm tired of being told what to do. Rach, whatever's left in this apartment, you're welcome to have. I'm going off on my own. Don't try to contact me._

_Love, Roxanne_

His heart sank. "She's left town?"

"It looks that way," Rachel said quietly.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation."

Megamind said nothing else, only stared blankly at the piece of paper.

"Sir?" Minion said, tapping his shoulder.

He let the note fall to the ground. "You were right, Minion. I was…_less_ right. The bad guy doesn't get the girl."

"Don't be silly!" Rachel insisted. "She's crazy for you! Can't you see how this whole situation doesn't add up?"

Megamind hung his head and started toward the door. "I'm going home."

"What do you mean? Isn't this your home?"

Minion's eyes widened with realization. "Oh, sir, no! You can't!"

"It's the only thing left to do, Minion!" Megamind snapped without turning his head. "I'm tired of this game! If I can't have Roxanne, there's just nothing left to live for anymore!"

Rachel grabbed his arm. "Wait, where are you going?"

He tugged away from her. "Don't try and stop me. That goes for you too, Minion!"

The two watched as he slammed the door behind him.

"Minion, what did he mean when he said he was going home?" Rachel inquired.

The fish looked devastated. "You see, he and I grew up in prison."

Her jaw dropped. "He's turning himself in?"

"Yes, see what you've done?"

That was when the tension between them transformed into anger.

"What _I've_ done?" Rachel repeated.

"Yes! Every time you and your big mouth show up, something bad happens!"

"How was I to know she left without him?"

"You could have just left well enough alone!"

"Oh, right. _You_, on the other hand, handled the situation _perfectly_!"

"This wouldn't have happened if you had stopped their relationship from progressing earlier!"

"And we're back to this again!"

They glared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Then Rachel sighed.

"Look, I know we don't agree on a lot of things, but we both have the same problem now. Our families are torn apart. My sister is out there somewhere and your friend is giving up on everything. If we're going to fix this, we'll have to work together. After that, you don't have to speak to me ever again."

Minion thought this over. She was right. They had both lost the people they had cared about the most and they were never going to get them back if they continued fighting.

"Deal," he said, shaking her hand. "So what can we do?"

"First," Rachel said, "we have to find Roxanne. It doesn't add up. Why would she run away without Blue Boy? Yesterday, she wouldn't stop trying to call him. She wouldn't leave without telling him."

Minion rubbed the back of his bowl. "Heh, she can't really do that if sir doesn't have his phone."

Rachel glared at him. "Hand it over."

He grunted as he removed the cell from his pouch. Rachel took it and searched through the missed calls. There were at least seven.

"It was probably nothing important," Minion insisted. "Maybe she didn't say anything about running away and…"

She scowled as she showed him a text message: _Meet our place 4AM. Bring car & what u need._ Minion laughed nervously.

"How about that?"

"You had to take his phone, huh?" Rachel said accusingly.

"Hey, I believe we were in the middle of an intervention! But never mind that. What does she mean by 'our place'?"

"What do you think? Maybe she's still waiting at the pier. Got any wheels?"

Minion proudly presented his keys. "Sure, I do. Just let me figure out where I parked the…" His metal body clanked against something. "Never mind."

He clicked the remote and a customized, black Hudson appeared out of nowhere. Rachel's lips curled in excitement.

"My gosh, that is so cool! I thought the invisible car was just something the press made up!"

The fish grinned as he opened the passenger door. "After you."

* * *

><p>As Megamind stepped off the bus, the prison guards prepared to take out their guns. When he simply walked past them, they looked at each other in confusion. Then they followed him as he approached the warden and stuck out his wrists in surrender.<p>

There were so many questions the elderly man wanted to ask, but he had no choice but to put the handcuffs on him.

* * *

><p>"She's still not answering," Rachel said as her sixth call went to voicemail.<p>

She and Minion were walking along the path to the pier. Rachel almost wished he was holding a picnic basket containing his delicious apple pie. She shook these thoughts out of her head.

When they reached the pier, it was empty. Rachel slumped to the ground.

"She's not here," she whimpered, on the verge of tears. "She could be anywhere by now."

"Hey," Minion said, kneeling down to pat her gently on the back. "We'll find her."

"You were right. This was all my fault. If I hadn't been so cruel to her…"

"No, it's my fault. If I hadn't gone along with this bad guy charade, we wouldn't be having any problems. But let's stop blaming ourselves and figure this out."

"Why won't she pick up the phone?"

"She's probably still mad at you. If it was sir calling, she'd definitely answer."

"Wait. That's it!"

She took out Megamind's phone and dialed Roxanne's number. Sure enough, there was an answer.

"Oh, thank goodness!" her sister exclaimed on the other end. "I was getting worried!"

"Roxanne, you have to come home right now!"

There was a pause. "Rachel?"

"Don't hang up! I need to talk to you!"

"What are you doing with Megamind's cell phone?"

"That's my fault," Minion said, leaning in. "I took his phone away.

"Is that Minion? Rach, what's going on?"

She put the phone on speaker and placed it between them.

"Roxie, where are you?" she pleaded.

Roxanne hesitated. "The lake house."

"You're at our old vacation home? Wow, what a romantic spot to run away to."

"Is that far away?" Minion inquired.

"Rach, what is Minion doing there?" Roxanne questioned. "Where's Romeo?"

"He's in jail because of you!"

"What?"

"He thought you had left, so he turned himself in!"

Rachel covered the receiver. "A little gentler, if you don't mind?"

"Sorry."

She spoke into the phone again. "Blue Boy didn't get your message because Fish Face here took away his phone. Now he's in jail because he thought you had left town without him."

"Oh my god," Roxanne said, her voice breaking. "He really thinks I'd do that to him? I should've just gone to the Lair, but I was worried Minion would catch me."

"Anyway, you have to come back," Minion said. "I've broken sir out of prison before, but he's not going to go along if he still thinks you're gone."

"You're right. Ugh, this is all my fault! Metro Man's dead and now Megamind's in jail because of me!"

"How did that happen, anyway?" Rachel wondered. "Metro Man's death, I mean. What exactly did Blue Boy throw at him?"

"They were just some minor explosives," Minion explained. "You know, it's weird. It's not like he hasn't used those things on him before."

"Wasn't that observatory lined with copper? Maybe copper was his weakness."

"Rach, that's ridiculous," Roxanne said. "I mean copper is in a lot of everyday things, even pennies. I remember him using change when buying lunch in the cafeteria. Now that I think about it, his death _didn't_ make any sense. In fact, if he did explode, they would have found more than just a cape. There would be, I don't know, blood or skin or…"

She stopped and then grunted. "Of all the…Rachel, Minion, I'm coming back, but it's going to take a while. Get Megamind out and meet me at the Lair. But first, I want you guys to check something for me. You got a pen and paper?"

"Hang on," Rachel said, handing the phone to the fish as she dug around in her purse. In no time flat, she had a pen and notepad. "Okay, ready."

"You always carry a notepad with you?" Minion asked.

She shrugged. "I'm a waitress."

* * *

><p>Minion drove the invisible car while Rachel read the directions Roxanne had given.<p>

"Why does she want us to go to Metro Man's secret hideout?" the fish asked.

"I have no idea," Rachel admitted. "She said we needed to check something. We'll know it when we find it. It should be just down this road."

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed when he saw what lay ahead. "That's our old schoolhouse!"

"You're what?"

She glanced up from the notepad and saw the aged red building. Minion pulled to a stop and stepped out, gazing up at it in awe.

"Back when we were kids," he explained, "the prison warden sent us to this school, hoping it would make sir a better person. However, Metro Man was there and it didn't turn out so well. This is where sir decided to become a villain."

Rachel looked up at him in surprise. "You guys were bullied by Metro Dork?"

"Yeah, it wasn't a very memorable year. He and the other kids once used me as a dodge ball."

Her stomach twisted in a knot. "That's horrible! No wonder Blue Boy turned bad!"

"After sir set off a paint bomb, he was taken back to the prison and Metro Man carried the school away. I wondered where he had hidden it."

The duo stepped into an old classroom. Rachel coughed, for everything was covered in cobwebs and dust. The walls were also sprayed with faded blue paint, probably what remained of Megamind's bomb. A few class pictures were hung there. Rachel's eyes strayed upon one where a little blue boy was standing off to the side, feigning a smile and holding a bowl containing a small fish.

"Is this you?" she asked, even though the answer was obvious.

Minion nodded. "If I had had a body back then, I would've stopped it all from happening."

Rachel continued to stare at the photo, focused entirely on the little fish.

"So what do we do now?"

She shook her head and glanced back at the notepad. "It says here we're supposed to search the book shelf for one that isn't as dusty."

She saw the shelf it was referring to and noticed that all of them were covered in a thin layer of dust, save one. She removed it and gasped as the bookcase moved to reveal a set of stairs.

"Cool!" she exclaimed. "A secret passage! Come on, let's go!"

As they went down the stairs and then a hallway, Minion inquired, "How did your sister know where Metro Man's hideout was, anyway? I thought they weren't dating."

"They weren't," Rachel replied, "but they were friends in high school. He was even obnoxious back then. I liked her other friend better. At least she was smart enough to remember my name."

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know. She and Roxie got into a fight for some reason."

They arrived in front of a large metal door.

"Okay," Minion said. "I'm sure there's some clever code or combination or lock. I have a replica of sir's De-Gun. I could set it to DESTROY and…"

"Or," Rachel said.

She gave the door a push and it opened. Minion laughed nervously.

"Sure, if you want to go with the easy way."

It led into some sort of trophy room, decorated with newspaper clippings, guitars, records and photos of Metro Man.

"Somebody loved himself a little too much," Rachel huffed.

"I can't believe he kept all this stuff," Minion marveled. "Now what exactly are we supposed to be looking for?"

"I don't know. I guess we just keep looking until we find something Roxanne would want us to find. You look over there, and I'll look over here."

In doing so, she spotted a white fur-lined cape.

"Wow," she gasped. "I remember when he wore that. It was at the masquerade, remember? It didn't really suit him."

Meanwhile, Minion was looking at some of the guitars. "I didn't think Metro Man was into music."

He turned around and saw that Rachel was wearing the fur-lined cape. She blushed once she noticed him staring.

"What? It's not like he's gonna miss it. What do you think?"

"I think you should forget about being a superhero and stay a waitress," Minion chuckled.

Rachel sighed. "You're right. I'm not cut out for capes. Besides, I think it'll look better on Blue Boy."

She went back to searching the room and spied a book on the coffee table. She picked it up and read the title: "The Happiest Me I Can Be." On the inside was the stamp of the Metro City Library.

"Why would the city's hero be reading from the self-help section?" she wondered aloud.

Minion shrugged. "Maybe he was in a depression. Sir goes into one of those every few months."

Rachel's eye then caught something else on the coffee table. "Hey, come look at this."

"What'd you find?" the fish asked, appearing at her side.

"This glass has ice cubes in it."

He raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Don't you think it's odd that the ice hasn't melted yet? Metro Man's been dead for how long and there's a fresh glass of water here? Do you know what this means?"

"That someone else has been here?"

"Or is here right now."

The pair moved closer together, glancing around the room. Then they froze as the floor creaked behind them. They slowly turned round to face the third party. Standing there was a burly man in a bathrobe. Even though he clearly hadn't shaven in days, his face was unmistakable.

"Hey," Metro Man said.

* * *

><p>Roxanne was in a taxi, on her way back to the city when her phone rang.<p>

"Rachel?"

"Roxanne," her sister's voice choked on the other end.

"Rach, are you okay?"

There was a pause. "I think…I think we've proved your theory."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, I thought it would be more interesting if Minion and Rachel were the ones who busted Metro Man. And yeah, those of you who have actually read <em>Romeo and Juliet<em> would know that Juliet planned to run away with Romeo but he didn't get the message. I incorporated it in here, except Roxanne didn't fake her death.**


	18. Breaking Out

**I have to study for finals, so you'll have to be patient for the next chapter.**

* * *

><p>As Rachel made the phone call, she wouldn't take her eyes off the not-dead man. In her shock, calling Roxanne was the only seemingly sane thing to do. After hanging up, she turned to Minion, who was floating unconsciously in his bowl. He had passed out after screaming like a girl.<p>

She picked up the glass of water and splashed it on the bowl. Then she smacked herself on the forehead.

"What am I doing?"

She shook the bowl wildly. "Minion, wake up!"

"Huh?" Minion said, coming to. "What happened?"

"You screamed and fainted. How can you faint in _water_?"

Then the fish saw Metro Man and was ready to scream again when Rachel cried, "Don't you dare!"

"Okay," the hero said. "Now that we're calming down, what are you two doing here? Hey, is that my cape?"

"Maybe," Rachel said, looking down at her feet. "But I think the real question is what are _you_ doing here…_alive_?" She crossed her arms. "You've got some explaining to do, mister!"

Metro Man glanced between the two, Minion still shocked and Rachel full of fury.

"Okay," he sighed. "Okay, okay. You both deserve the truth. You may want to sit down, though."

Rachel settled herself on the big white couch and pulled Minion down beside her.

"We're listening," she stated.

"You see," the hero began, "when I heard that your sister was with Megamind, I just couldn't believe it. He claimed he hadn't brainwashed her and he seemed serious. I then recalled what I had done back at the warehouse."

He turned to Minion. "Sorry about that."

The fish only nodded.

"Anyway," he continued, "I realized what I was doing. I was hurting someone for my own selfish reasons. It reminded me of all those times back in school. Again, sorry. It also brought back what I had done to Roxanne. And Casey…"

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Casey?"

"But let's not go into details. I realized that I wasn't the hero Metro City deserved. Heroes don't hurt the ones they care about. After all, I hurt the only woman I ever truly loved."

The young Ritchi wondered if he was referring to Roxanne or someone else.

"I couldn't go on with it, but you can't just quit being a hero. When Megamind blew up the observatory, I took it as my chance to split. I've been hiding out here ever since, just wondering what to do."

"You gave up," Rachel said.

"Yeah, it seems that way."

"You gave up being a hero and now Blue Boy is charged with murder."

Minion saw the anger that was welling up in Rachel's face.

"Uh oh," he muttered. "Here it goes."

She cried out, grabbed a nearby trophy and threw it in Metro Man's face. The object broke, but the man didn't even blink.

"So this whole mess is because of _you_?" she shouted, smashing a guitar against his head. "I always knew you were a jerk, but this…this is a new low! Megamind is in jail, Roxanne has run away and now I'm here with a robotic fish with a tendency to faint because you gave up!"

"Wait, what?" Metro Man said. "What do you mean Megamind's in jail and Roxanne ran away?"

"That's not important right now. How could you do this? You're a hero! The people of the city relied on you and you deserted them!"

"Hey, do you think they were better off with _me_ defending their city? Do you even know _why_ Megamind became a bad guy? Do you know _why_ Casey and Roxanne got into a fight all those years ago?"

"What does Casey have to do with this?"

"No matter how mistakes I make in my life, the one thing I will always regret is that I left Casey to go after Roxanne!"

Rachel's fury softened as the hero collapsed on the couch.

"What I did to Casey was unforgivable," he grumbled. "Not only did I ruin our relationship, but I ruined a friendship. Now look at what I've done. I've broken up yet another relationship."

Despite her dislike for the man, Rachel patted his back. "There, there. There's still time to fix this. All you have to do is tell everyone you're alive and Blue Boy won't be a murderer anymore."

He looked up at her in horror. "Are you kidding me? If I tell everyone I faked my death, they'll hate me for the rest of my life!"

"But sir blames himself for your death!" Minion declared. "If you're not really dead, that's totally different!"

"Listen here," Rachel warned. "I've never seen my sister so happy in my life and as weird as her choice for men is, I'm going to make sure she stays happy and get her back together with Blue Boy! The only way for that to happen is if Megamind is pardoned and only you have the power and authority to do that! Please, Wayne. If you want to make amends with my sister _and_ Megamind, now's the time to do it."

She pleaded with her eyes, but Metro Man only shook her off.

"I'm sorry. I just can't. It's too late."

Rachel scowled. "Fine. Come on, Minion. He's not going to be of any help."

"By the way," Metro Man said, watching as the two headed for the door. "When did _this_ happen?"

The pair looked back.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"Are you two like…together?"

"What?" they cried simultaneously. "No way!"

"Are you sure? Because you two seem very compatible."

"Now we don't!" They glared at each other. "Stop that!"

They decided to end it there and walk out.

"Tell Roxanne," Wayne called, "that I'm really, _really_ sorry."

Once they were outside, Rachel realized she was still wearing the cape.

"I should probably give this back."

"Don't bother," Minion muttered. "I don't think he'll miss it. He's not a hero anymore."

"To think, he actually thought _we_ were a couple!"

He laughed. "Yeah, what an idiot!"

* * *

><p>Roxanne, still in the taxi, listened as Rachel and Minion told her the whole story on the phone. She grunted in frustration.<p>

"Ugh, I _knew_ it! Wayne really gave up because of me?"

"Well," Rachel stammered. "That was one of the reasons. There was also the fact that he beat up Megamind and something about ruining your friendship with Casey…"

She winced. "Oh, that."

"Are you almost here?"

She quickly asked the cab driver. "I should be at the apartment in twenty minutes. I'll walk from there."

"We're going to break sir out," Minion said. "We'll rendezvous at the Lair."

"Tell him I didn't mean for this to happen, would you? Tell him I love him."

"Will do," Rachel replied. "Oh, beware if you run into Mom. She was not happy this morning."

"Thanks for the warning."

* * *

><p>Megamind mechanically flipped through the channels on his TV, not paying any attention to what was on. He was startled when a tap came on the glass.<p>

"What are you doing here, son?"

He turned the chair to face the warden. "Isn't it obvious? I'm paying my debt to society."

"Since when do you turn yourself in?"

He bit his lip. "I have no hero to fight, so what's the point?"

He spun round, hoping the man would go away.

"It's about that girl, isn't it?"

Megamind faced him again, shocked. "I…I…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Romeo, I saw the way you were looking at each other that day. I know why you didn't attack the city for an entire month."

"I had villain's block," he fibbed.

"Don't try lying to me, son. I know love when I see it."

"I'm not in love!" he protested, turning away again.

"Since you were a kid, I couldn't keep you in your cell for five minutes. Now you've turned yourself in? I may not know exactly what you've been through, but she's _changed_ you, Blue. That's the thing about love. It changes you, sometimes for the better."

Megamind sighed, not being able to hide it anymore. "You know what else it does, Warden? It hurts. I'm better off in here."

The warden shook his head. "Alright, you do what makes you happy."

The prisoner listened as the warden's footsteps grew softer and softer, until he could no longer hear them. The man was right. Roxanne had changed him, but not for the better. He had killed a man and had lost the girl of his dreams. Now he was nothing, but an empty shell.

He deserved to be here. This is what happened to criminals. Besides, what else was there for him to do but give up?

He was surprised when the door suddenly opened and there stood the warden.

"Good news, Megamind," the elderly man said. "You're free to go."

The alien blinked. "Excuse me?"

"As it turns out, Metro Man is not dead after all."

"What?"

"That's right. You're innocent, so you have no reason to be here."

Megamind scrutinized the man carefully and then noticed something off. _Since when does the warden have brown eyes?_ Then he groaned in annoyance.

"As I recall, I have another forty-four life sentences to go."

"Well," the warden stammered. "You've been pardoned for those too! So if you would just step out…"

"Save it, Minion!"

The man sighed and switched off the watch, transforming into the fish.

"He found us out!" he called behind him.

"Aw!" Rachel complained, appearing in the doorway. "I told you he wasn't stupid!"

"What's _she_ doing here?" Megamind inquired.

"Sorry, sir," Minion apologized, "but she wouldn't stay in the car."

"What's going on?"

"We're breaking you out, of course!"

He gave a small smile. "I appreciate the effort, Minion, but that won't be necessary."

"Of course, it's necessary!" Rachel insisted. "You're not a murderer! You shouldn't be in here!"

"Even if it was an accident, I still deserve to be here where I can't hurt anyone else."

"But sir," Minion cried, "you've never hurt anyone!"

"What about Roxanne? Why else would she leave? And Metro Man, I certainly did more than _hurt_ him!"

"He's not dead, you idiot!" Rachel exclaimed. "He _faked_ it!"

Megamind's eyes widened.

"It's true, sir!" Minion clarified. "He's hiding out at the old schoolhouse!"

He glanced between the two. "You're not making this up?"

"No, we're serious!"

"Then I _didn't_ kill him?"

"Of course," said Rachel, "considering he's not _dead_!"

He started at them for a moment, but then slumped back into his chair. "That doesn't change anything. I've still terrorized the city countless times."

"Yeah, but no one got hurt."

"I hurt you, Miss Ritchi, because I wanted Roxanne all to myself. Now she's gone, her mother's probably worried sick, and you've lost a sister. And Minion," he looked at his friend, "all these years, I've treated you like dirt. Now you see why the only choice I have is to stay here?"

He turned from them, hoping that would end the conversation. He was surprised when someone put a hand on him, one belonging to Rachel.

"So this," she said, gesturing to his surroundings, "is what you choose? _This_ is any better from the life you had before? What do you have to live for in here?"

"Everything," he insisted, feigning enthusiasm. "I have a roof over my head, three meals a day, high definition entertainment, I've got everything I need right here…for the rest of my short, pitiful life."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "But you need to be with Roxanne! You guys were meant for each other!"

"I'd like to believe you, but I just can't.

She and Minion exchanged a look.

"Plan B?"

She nodded. "Plan B. Grab him!"

They each snatched an arm and dragged the alien out of his seat.

"What are you doing?" Megamind cried, attempting to break free. "No, I'm not leaving! You can't make me!"

"Want a bet?" Rachel taunted.

They were halfway out of the cell when Megamind grabbed both sides of the doorway. His captors tugged hard.

"Come on, sir!" Minion insisted. "Just let us help you escape like a good boy."

"No! I'm staying here!"

But his strength was no match for the two and his sweaty fingers slipped. He continued to struggle as he was hauled down the hallway. He then saw the real warden tied to a chair.

"Warden!" he cried. "Do something! Call the guards!"

Minion shot the man a warning look. "You saw nothing."

He grinned. "Saw what?"

"Nice meeting you, Warden!" Rachel called as they rounded the corner.

"Good luck!"

"Warden, help me!" Megamind shouted, but he was already out of earshot.

When they were outside, one of the guards had a bewildered look on his face. He was about to take out his gun when Minion whacked him on the head with the Forget-Me-Stick. He then glanced at his weapon and mentally kicked himself.

"What are we doing?"

Before Megamind could protest, he was knocked out cold, which made it easier for him to handle.

"Glad you didn't use that on me," Rachel said with a smile.

"Believe me," the fish grumbled. "I was tempted."

* * *

><p><strong>Not every day you force a prisoner to escape.<strong>


	19. Don't Give Up

**Yes! School's out! Hopefully, that means I can finish this.**

* * *

><p>When Megamind gained consciousness, the first thought that came to mind was: <em>Oh, my aching head!<em> His vision came into focus and he realized he was on the couch in the Lair. _What am I doing here? Why am I not in prison?_ The last thing he remembered was the warden saying he was free to go and then…Minion.

He sprung off the couch and rushed to the door.

"He's making a break for it!" Rachel Ritchi's voice cried. "Get him!"

Before he knew it, Rachel and Minion had grabbed a hold of him and were dragging him back to the couch.

"Take me back to jail!" Megamind protested. "Take me back right now!"

"Snap out of it!" Rachel shouted.

After setting him down, she slapped him across the face.

"Ow!" he cried. "What is _with_ you Ritchi women?"

"Sorry," Rachel apologized. "It was the only way to get you to calm down."

"What's going on? Minion, why is she here?"

"We're staging an intervention, sir," the fish declared.

"_Another_ one?"

"Yeah, only this time, we're on the same team."

"We're also getting you back together with my sister," Rachel added.

"Wait a moment," said Megamind. "This morning, you two hated each other and were _against_ our relationship. Now you're working together and _supporting_ us? Make up your mind!"

"We _have_ made up our mind. We've both seen what you guys are like when you're apart. You were meant to be together, and that won't happen if you're in jail."

"But she left me! Plus, I'm a murderer! Wait." He rubbed his bulbous head. "It's coming back to me. You said something about Metro Man being…alive?"

"It's true, sir," Minion nodded. "Rachel and I found him at the old schoolhouse. He's given up on being a hero."

"And Roxanne didn't leave you," Rachel said, taking out Megamind's cell. "She texted you, inviting you to run away with her, but you didn't know because _somebody_ took your phone!"

"Hey, let's not start that again!"

Megamind read the text over and over, unable to breathe.

"She really wanted us to run away together?"

"Yes!" Rachel cried, heaving a sigh of relief. "As crazy as it sounds, Roxanne's madly in love with you!"

"She's right, sir," Minion agreed. "We were wrong to keep the two of you apart. I had no idea she meant that much to you."

"Yes, you did," Megamind murmured.

"Okay, I _did_, but I thought I was doing what was best for you. I'm sorry, sir."

"We're both sorry," Rachel added.

"Apology accepted," the blue alien said with a small smile. "So where is Roxanne?"

The two stiffened.

"I don't know," the young woman said, checking her watch. "She should have been here a while ago."

Her "Picture to Burn" ringtone erupted. "Hang on a second. Hello?"

"Rach…he…he…Roxanne…"

"Mom? Is that you?"

"He took her! He took her!"

"Whoa, Mom, slow down! Took whom?"

"Roxanne! He took Roxanne!"

Rachel sat up in panic. "What do you mean? _Who_ took her? What happened?"

"It all happened so fast! I was going to the police station when Roxanne came home. We had a fight, when _he_ came out of the sky and took her!"

"_Who_, Mom?"

"I didn't see his face. He was a big, burly brute! And he could fly!"

"Metro Man?"

"No, not Metro Man, but it _looked_ like him! All I saw was a streak of red!"

"Mom, have you called the police?"

"Yes, but they thought I was crazy! My daughter's in danger and they think I'm crazy!"

"Mom, calm down! _I'll_ call the police." She glanced at the alien duo. "In fact, I've got someone better than the police."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't worry, Mom. Just sit down, drink a glass of water, watch some TV and relax."

"But…"

"Relax! I've got this settled."

"But honey, where are you?"

"I'll tell you later. Right now, the important thing for you to do now is to remain calm, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll call you if we find anything."

"We?"

She hung up so she wouldn't have to answer.

"What's happened?" Megamind pleaded, his eyes filled with worry.

"Roxanne's been kidnapped!" Rachel blurted.

"What?" He grabbed her by the shirt. "How could this happen? Who did it?"

"I don't know! Someone with super powers!"

"Super powers?"

"Don't panic, alright? We'll figure this out."

Suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the Lair. "_Megamind_!"

The trio sat up in surprise, then realized it was coming from the monitors, which had originally been tuned into the news. On them was the face of a beefy redheaded man with a really bad hairdo.

"Hal?" Rachel gasped.

"Who's Hal?" Minion asked.

"Hal Stewart, my sister's cameraman. Ick, he's even uglier on TV! I don't remember him having muscles."

"_The name is Titan!_" the scary man bellowed. "_This town ain't big enough for _two_ super villains! I'll be waiting for you in…in… Hey, lady, where are we?_"

"Who's he talking to?" Megamind wondered.

"_We're in some…factory thing. We're gonna fight to see who gets control of this city! Oh, while you're thinking about it, I ought to give you a little heads up._"

He turned the camera to a wooden crate. In a split second, it was vaporized by a pair of lasers. The trio stiffened.

"Okay, he didn't have lasers either!" Rachel shrieked.

"It's almost like…" Megamind started to say. "No, it's impossible."

"_That's right, Megamind!_" Titan taunted, turning the camera back on him. "_I have powers! I'll bet you're squirming in your seat right now, terrified at my awesomeness…_"

"_Cut to the chase!_" a woman's voice ordered.

"_Oh, right. Just to make the fight more interesting…_"

The screen shifted to a woman tied up, lying on a conveyer belt. The fright on her face was inevitable. Rachel gasped, Minion's eyes widened, but it was Megamind who was the most horrified.

"Roxanne," he breathed.

"_Oh yeah!_" Titan exclaimed. "_I've got your little girlfriend! You hear that, Metro City? Megamind's gone soft! Come on, Roxie. Call for your hero to come rescue you!_"

"_Megamind_," Roxanne choked at her words. "_I don't even know if you're listening_," she looked up at the camera, "_but if you are, you can't give up! When we met, you knew we had no chance of being together, yet you never gave up on me! Please, don't start now!_"

She glanced down at the object around her neck. Megamind leaned closer. She was still wearing the necklace!

"_Now's your chance to prove I was right about you,_" she said, looking back up. "_You're not a bad guy._"

Megamind stood up. "Roxanne!"

"_You have one hour!_" Titan said, facing the camera again. "_Don't keep me waiting!_"

The blue alien continued to stare at the screen as it went static. Rachel walked up to his side.

"So," she said. "What do we do now, Blue Boy?"

His eyebrows knit together. "I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're getting to that factory, we're going to save Roxanne and then we're taking that monster down!"

"That's what I'm talking about! Let's go save my sister!"

"Oh, no!" Minion stood. "You're staying here!"

"Excuse me?"

"He's right," Megamind agreed. "It's too dangerous. We don't know what this Titan is capable of."

"He already has your sister," Minion added. "I'm not letting him get you, too!"

Rachel crossed her arms. "You think I'm just gonna sit around while some creep has my sister? Well, you're wrong! I'm coming with you!"

"No, I won't allow it!"

"Frankly, I don't think you have a choice. Besides, you're going to need all the help you can get."

Megamind sighed. "She has a point, Minion."

"Sir, you can't be serious!" the fish protested.

"Please?" Rachel begged. "I want to help!"

One look in those big blue eyes and Minion deflated. "You are so stubborn, you know that?"

"Great! What's the plan?"

"The plan!" Megamind held a dramatic finger in the air, but then trailed off. "We're just going to have to wing it. Minion, assemble the Brainbots and have them be ready when we need them! And get a weapon for Rachel, would you?"

"Alright, sir," Minion said halfheartedly.

"Excellent! To the invisible car!"

"Hold on a sec, Romeo," Rachel said, grabbing his arm. "You're not going anywhere in _that_ fashion disaster."

He looked down at his orange prison suit. "Oh, right. Minion, get my cape!"

"Actually, I've got a better idea."

* * *

><p>Roxanne had never been so terrified in her life. She was bound, lying on a conveyer belt that led into a furnace that had been reignited by Hal's newfound lasers.<p>

"Hal, why are you doing this?" she pleaded. "What did I ever do to you?"

"You know exactly what's going on!" the powerful villain bellowed. "You chose that little blue freak over me! Now I'm going to take both of you out!"

"But how did you get those powers?"

"He got them from me."

She turned her head downwards at the woman who had been standing in the shadows for quite a while. Her hair was hidden under a wide brimmed hat and dark sunglasses covered her eyes. She hadn't spoken much the whole time.

"Who are you?" Roxanne inquired.

"R.R., I'm insulted," the woman taunted. "Surely you would remember your best friend."

The reporter gasped as she called her R.R. Only one person had ever called her that.

"Casey?"

Hal was confused. "Who's Casey?"

"It's me, you idiot!" the woman shouted.

She removed her hat, allowing her long black hair to fall down her back, and then took off her sunglasses, revealing her glaring hazel eyes.

"You never thought you'd hear from Casey Capulet again, did you, R.R.?"

Hal smacked himself in the forehead. "Oh, it's not the _name_ Cece, it's the _initials_ C.C.! I still think you need a better villain name."

"Shut up," Casey demanded.

"Casey, I don't understand!" Roxanne cried.

"Of course not! You _never_ understood! You especially didn't when you stole Wayne from me!"

"Is that what this is about?"

"He was the love of my life and you stole him from me! You always marveled about how magnificent he was, but he was always more than just a guy with super powers to me!"

"Casey, I told you, it wasn't like that!"

"Do you have any idea what he said when he broke up with me? Do you? He said he only dated me so he could get closer to the prettiest girl in school! Who do you think he meant?"

"But I had nothing to do with him after that!"

"What about that date with him a month ago?"

"That was the worst date ever! Casey, you know I never felt that way about him!"

"Maybe not, but he certainly felt that way about you and that's the reason he's dead!"

Roxanne was astonished. "You don't mean that."

Casey crossed her arms. "When rumors started going around that you and Wayne were an item, I decided to follow you around. Then I discovered that those rumors were false, but you did catch the eye of another alien being. I lay back for a while, hoping to show the pictures to Wayne so he'd take me back, but then guess what? Your stinking boyfriend killed him!"

"Casey, you should know that…"

"Now I'm going to have my revenge on you _and_ him! Of course, in case I was to hesitate while wiping you out, I had to get someone else to do my dirty work." She held up a strange-looking gun. "I've always had a talent for tinkering and with this gun I was able to extract Wayne's power from his DNA and insert it into someone else."

"But why pick Hal?" Roxanne asked. "He's the worst possible person you could pick."

"Hey!" Hal cried. "The name is Titan!"

"He was the only one I could find who also had a grudge against you," Casey explained. "Plus, he's stupid enough for the job."

"You know I'm right here, right? I can zap you right now!"

She pointed the gun at him. "I gave you your powers and can take them away just as easily, so I suggest you cooperate."

"Casey," Roxanne protested. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me. If there's any way I can make it up to you…"

Her former friend's eyes narrowed. "It's too late for that, Roxanne."

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, some of you guessed it. And yeah, I used the Capulet name. Just a couple more chapters to go.<strong>


	20. The Greatest Sacrifice

**I was on a road trip and didn't have much time, but here it is. I think some of you will hate me for this.**

* * *

><p>Policemen and reporters surrounded the abandoned marshmallow factory. This was something Megamind hadn't expected when the invisible car pulled up in front of the building.<p>

"Oh great," Rachel mumbled. "I didn't think about getting arrested for being an accomplice."

"They must have seen the broadcast as well," Minion noted. "Are you sure it's _this_ factory, sir?"

"It certainly looked like it on TV," Megamind said. "Remember, we used to have our Evil Lair here? It even still has the holes in the roof."

"Yeah," Rachel huffed. "If you guys are done with your reminiscing, how do we get past the feds?"

"Don't worry. It's easy."

The blue alien stepped out of the car and shocked the crowd. The police took out their guns and the reporters asked why he was wearing one of Metro Man's capes. Megamind simply withdrew his weapon and waved it around.

"Nobody move!" he shouted. "Drop your weapons!"

The terrified police did so and held up their hands in surrender.

"Alright, now listen carefully! My associates and I are going into that building and we don't want any interruptions!"

"We're just going to walk through the door?" Rachel called from the car.

"No, we'll take a detour. Brainbots!"

A couple of the cyborgs flew in, lowering the hover bike to the ground. The alien hopped on and gestured for the others to come out and join him. It was a very tight fit for the three of them, especially with Minion's gigantic body onboard. Since he kept falling off, Megamind ordered the Brainbots to carry him while Rachel rode on the back of the bike.

The paparazzi flashed their cameras at the scene. Rachel attempted to hide her face.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble after this," she muttered.

The bike took off and hovered toward a hole in the roof of the factory that had been made by Metro Man.

"Once we're inside," Megamind whispered to Rachel, "don't make a sound."

He gently lowered them into the hole and onto a catwalk hanging from the ceiling. The Brainbots did the same with Minion, setting him beside them. Megamind turned off the engine and signaled for the others to follow him. In a wave of paranoia, Rachel clutched the gun she had been given close to her chest, her free hand moving along the rail.

At one point, she made the mistake of looking down and turned pale. She never liked heights, and it certainly was a long way down. She then had second thoughts about joining this rescue mission, but a reassuring robotic hand on her shoulder settled all that. She looked up at the fish and smiled in thanks.

"Get down!" Megamind suddenly whispered.

His friends obeyed as he gestured below. They all glanced down at the scene. Roxanne was still on the conveyer belt and Titan was hovering above her. They were all surprised to see a woman standing off to the side.

"Who is that?" Minion wondered.

"Maybe Titan's girlfriend?" Megamind suggested.

"Gross," Rachel muttered. "Who'd want to date _that_ ugly dude?"

Then she squinted at the tiny figure. "Wait a minute. She looks familiar."

"I still think I should be in charge, C.C.," Titan argued with the woman.

"Let's run through this again," the woman said, pointing a gun up at him. "Turn against me and one shot up your nose will suck in all your power! Just get rid of Megamind for me and you can do whatever you like, alright?"

"Hey!" Megamind exclaimed. "That's my Infuser Gun!"

"Huh?" Rachel grunted.

"I had planned to infuse someone with Metro Man's powers by extracting them from his DNA and putting them into that gun! Minion, remind me to upgrade the Lair's security!"

"So that gun gave Hal those powers?"

"Yes, and from what we just heard, if we stick it up his nose and pull the trigger, it should reverse the effect. We just need to get it from that woman. What did he say her name was? C.C.?"

Rachel's eyes widened. "C.C.! I don't believe it!"

"Do you know her?"

"That's Casey Capulet, Roxanne's best friend in high school! She used to be called C.C.!"

"Hey," Minion interrupted. "Isn't she the one Metro Man was moaning about?"

"Oh my gosh! No wonder she's mad!"

"Can someone explain to me what's going on here?" Megamind asked.

"Metro Man told us that he had dumped Casey for Roxanne, that's why they got into a fight! You know, I'm _really_ tired of secrets right now!"

"Enough moaning, we're running out of time. Okay, this is the plan. I'll distract Titan and lead him away. Minion, you and the Brainbots get Roxanne, make sure she's safe. Rachel, you take out that woman and get the gun."

"You can't take on Titan alone! He'll kill you! That will make all our efforts of trying to get you and Roxanne together pointless!"

"It's me he's after, alright? No matter what happens, get those powers out of Titan. If I don't make it out of this, at least I'll know Roxanne's safe."

"Sir, I can't let you do this!" Minion protested.

"It's the only way, Minion!"

"It doesn't have to be! Let me be the distraction!"

"No, Minion!" Rachel cried before Megamind could.

"My soul purpose is to look after you, sir. You can't stop me."

Meanwhile, down below, the two villains were waiting impatiently. Casey checked her watch.

"It looks like your boyfriend's running late."

"Maybe he's too chicken!" Titan laughed.

"He's coming!" Roxanne insisted. The rest she muttered under her breath, "I hope."

"Hey, Titan!"

The super-powered hero turned toward the factory's entrance. Standing there, waving his arms about was Megamind, wearing a white fur-lined cape. Roxanne's eyes lit up.

"Nice look, freak," Titan chuckled. "Too bad it's the last look you'll ever have."

He shot a laser beam from his eyes, but it only melted a hole in the door as Megamind dodged it.

"Is that the best you got?" he taunted. "I've seen grandmothers shoot better that you!"

"Why, you little…"

He dodged another beam and disappeared behind a row of machines.

"Don't just float there!" Casey commanded. "Get him!"

Titan was off like a rocket. His accomplice smiled wickedly as she fiddled with a control panel.

"Looks like your boyfriend came after all," she smirked at Roxanne. "Let's see if he can save both himself _and_ you."

The conveyer belt started to move, bringing Roxanne closer and closer to the furnace.

"Casey, don't do this!" the reporter cried. "Did all those years of sleepovers, parties and shopping trips mean nothing at all?"

"After stealing my boyfriend," Casey said coldly, "they _do_ mean absolutely nothing."

"Casey, he's not dead! Wayne's still alive!"

"Wish that all you want, R.R. No one can save you now."

The villainess screeched as something splashed on her back. She turned to see Rachel standing there with a gun.

"The guys get Dehydration Guns and I get water balloons?" Rachel grumbled. "_So_ not fair!"

"Rachel Ritchi?" the criminal gasped.

"Good to see you again, Casey. By the way, no one messes with my sister and gets away with it!"

She pulled the trigger and shot another water balloon at her. This one drenched her chest.

"You're getting my coat wet!" Casey shouted. "Do you have any idea how much this cost?"

"Expensive clothing is the least of your worries!" Rachel exclaimed.

The villainess growled and dropped the Infuser Gun, taking a smaller weapon out of her pocket.

"Sweet dreams, Ray Ray."

A dart shot out of the gun, but Rachel ducked her head. "I always hated that name!"

Roxanne watched as the two women exchanged darts and balloons. She was only inches away from the furnace. She screamed and was about to fall over the end when the conveyer belt came to a halt. She struggled to sit up and saw Megamind at the control panel.

"Romeo?" she gasped.

Casey turned in confusion. "But how?"

Taking advantage of her distraction, Rachel shot Casey's dart gun out of her hand. The wet weapon short-circuited on the floor. Angry, the villainess was about to reach for something else in her coat when Rachel took a different approach and tackled her.

While the ladies continued their fight, the Brainbots carried Roxanne down into Megamind's arms.

"Are you alright?" he asked, quickly untying her.

"Yes."

They kissed like they hadn't seen each other in years. It seemed like nothing mattered until Titan flew in again, holding another Megamind.

"C.C., I got…"

He glanced between the Megamind embracing Roxanne and the one in his grasp.

"What the…? Alright, which one's the real you?"

Once Rachel saw the hanging alien she screamed, "Minion! Oops."

In her distraction, Casey managed to wrench Rachel's arms behind her back.

"Thanks for clearing that up," she smirked. "He's projecting the disguise from his watch. Get rid of it!"

Hal melted the watch on his captive's wrist and the blue alien turned into Minion. The fish laughed nervously. Titan dropped him to the floor.

"Pretty sneaky, but it won't save you!"

Megamind pushed Roxanne out of the way as Hal shot a laser at them. Rachel, recovering from her shock of seeing Minion's suit collapse on the ground, struggled in Casey's grip. Finally, she took what she learned in Tae Kwon Do and stepped on her assailant's foot. She cried out in pain and loosened her grip. This allowed Rachel to elbow her in the ribs and then punch her in the nose. Casey then put her other hand to her face, when Rachel took the opportunity to kick her in the gut.

At last, Casey lost her balance and fell to the floor. Rachel rushed to Minion's side.

"Are you okay?" she pleaded.

"I'm a little shook up," he said, "but my glass isn't broken. However, I'm having a little trouble getting this suit up. Don't worry about me. Get the gun!"

Titan was chasing Megamind and Roxanne around the room. The Infuser Gun was lying beside the control panel. It would take some effort for Rachel to get over there without getting zapped by the laser.

Meanwhile, Megamind ducked Roxanne behind a crate.

"Stay here. I'll lure him away."

He stood up and waved his arms. "Hey, Titan! Is that your hair or an ugly red poodle on your head?"

Hal's hands flung up to his head. "You'll pay for that!"

Roxanne couldn't bear to watch as more lasers were shot at her boyfriend. She peeked around the crate and saw Rachel on her knees as she crawled towards the Infuser Gun. Hal had his back to her, but if she made a sound, he would spot her surely. Megamind was just barely missing the beams.

After a while, Roxanne couldn't take it. She stood up and made herself known.

"Hal, stop this!"

The villain turned to her.

"Roxanne, what are you doing?" Megamind cried.

"Leave them alone! It's me you want! Finish me off!"

Titan smiled. "Okay, as you wish."

He ripped a large pipe from the wall and swung it at Roxanne. She closed her eyes, prepared for the worst when a familiar voice shouted, "Roxanne, no!"

Someone pushed her out of the way as she heard the crash. Roxanne opened her eyes and sat herself up, trying to see what had happened. Lying limp against the wall was Megamind's almost lifeless body.

"No," she muttered, rushing toward him.

She took his face in her hand. His eyes fluttered open.

"I'm sorry," he choked. "I did the best I could."

Roxanne sniffed. "I'm so proud of you."

He groaned. "Leave me."

"No."

"You must…stop…Titan."

Then his eyes slipped closed and Roxanne was on the verge of tears. Titan landed on the ground behind her.

"Well, that was easy," he chimed.

Roxanne flung herself over Megamind. "Don't you dare touch him!"

"Why would I do that? He's not my problem anymore."

The unconscious alien let out a cough. Roxanne's eyes lit up.

"He's alive."

Titan complained. "Does this guy ever give up? Oh well, nothing I can't fix."

Roxanne tightened her grip on her boyfriend. "If you kill him, you'll have to kill me too."

He shrugged. "Okay, I'm flexible."

His lasers were on the surface of his eyes when Rachel stepped in front of Roxanne and she was certainly not happy.

"Kill Roxanne, you'll have to kill me."

Hal rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever floats your boat! I warn you, it's gonna hurt."

"Yeah, yeah. Done with the cheesy lines?"

"Okay, now you're pushing it!"

"Hold it!" Minion cried, finding the strength to stand.

"Oh come on, what now?"

The fish slowly moved in front of Rachel. "You want to hurt her then you'll have to go through me first."

Titan laughed. "Don't you losers get it? You can't stop me! I'm invincible!"

Minion grinned mischievously. "Oh, really? Rachel, would you do the honors?"

"Gladly," the young woman said, grinning back.

She stepped forward and removed the Infuser Gun from behind her back. Hal was so surprised that he didn't move until the nozzle was up his nose. Rachel blinked as a bright light transferred from Titan into the gun. The man then slumped onto the ground in what remained of his large costume.

"Who's the loser now, huh?" Rachel taunted.

"We did it!" Minion exclaimed. "High five!"

They were on the brink of it when something smashed through the roof. Metro Man stood there in his uniform, but he hadn't bothered to shave or fix his hair.

"Don't worry, Roxanne!" he announced proudly. "I'm here to…"

He then noticed the redheaded lump on the floor. Rachel glared at him and put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, _now_ you show up! Where were you ten minutes ago?"

Casey finally got up and widened her eyes at the man before her. "Wayne?"

He turned to her and gaped. "Casey?"

For a moment, they only stared at each other, silently communicating. Somehow, everything was explained in that single glance. The rest was said aloud in unison.

"I'm so sorry."

Everyone turned at the sound of a sob and finally recalled Megamind lying unconscious. Roxanne was crying into his chest. Metro Man put a hand on her, but she shot a glare up at him.

"_You_ did this!" she snapped. "This wouldn't have happened if you all hadn't tried to keep us apart, if _you_ hadn't turned him into a villain! All he wanted was to be loved! And now he…he…"

She broke into tears once more. Minion knelt down and checked his friend's pulse.

"If we hurry back to the Lair," he said, "we might be able to save him."

Metro Man picked up Megamind.

"What are you doing?" Roxanne asked.

"What I should have done a long time ago."

* * *

><p>Outside, the crowd had grown in numbers, due to several curious civilians. They were all waiting in anticipation. They let out a gasp as two figures appeared in the doorway of the factory. It was Casey Capulet and Titan, now chubby, pathetic Hal Stewart once again. Their hands were behind their backs and as they stepped forth, everyone saw who their apprehenders were.<p>

Rachel Ritchi had Casey while Minion held Hal. Everyone started clapping as Roxanne came between them, her eyes stained with tears. The police came forth and took the villains into custody. The cheering stopped once the supposedly dead hero emerged, carrying the limp body of his nemesis.

All was quiet as Metro Man looked out at the crowd. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"Everyone, I know you're confused at the moment, but hear me when I say this. If it hadn't been for this man here," he looked down at Megamind, "the day wouldn't have been saved we'd have a dangerous criminal still on the loose. Also, Roxanne would be dead if not for him. What you see here, lying unconscious, is a true hero. If this is the sort of person you want to send back to jail, then this isn't the fair city I thought it to be."

The crowd remained silent, but no one objected. Minion tapped Metro Man on the shoulder, indicating that they didn't have much time. As he gently set the body into the now visible car, cameras flashed and everyone began asking questions. Roxanne was about to get in with her boyfriend when someone screamed.

"Roxanne!" Her mother pushed through the crowd, shock and worry in her eyes. "Thank goodness you're safe, but what is going on here?"

Roxanne said nothing and hastened into the car.

"Don't you dare get in that car, young lady, until you explain yourself!"

"Mom!" Rachel exclaimed, gripping her shoulders. "We'll explain everything, but this is an emergency. I promise that you have nothing to worry about."

Roberta was left dumbstruck and watched as Rachel got into the car with Minion and they drove away.

Meanwhile, Metro Man went over to the police car where Casey was sitting in handcuffs.

"Casey?"

She glared at him. "What do _you_ want?"

"I was wondering…when you get out, do you want to…get a coffee or something?"

She was speechless for a moment, not believing her ears. "Wouldn't dating a criminal ruin your reputation?"

He shrugged. "Who cares? It's messed up pretty good already."

She stared into his eyes and then her smile said it all.


	21. Acceptance

**I would like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and urging me to press on, especially SiverGodFanGirl for giving me the idea. I do not plan to write a sequel. I think it's best to leave it where it is.**

**"I've Got a Crush on You" - Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra. Give it a listen, it inspired part of this chapter.**

* * *

><p>Back at the former Evil Lair, the Ritchi sisters were sitting on the couch. Roxanne was trying to keep herself from crying while Rachel had her arms around her for comfort.<p>

"Hey, he's going to be fine. Minion knows what he's doing. I think. I mean if he can stitch together an ensemble, he can stitch some wounds."

Roxanne said nothing and sobbed.

"He'll make it," Rachel assured her. "And when he does, you two are gonna get married, have blue big-headed kids and live happily ever after."

The older sister giggled a bit. "You always know how to lighten the mood, Rach. I'm glad to have you for a sister."

"I'm happy for you, you know? I mean I'd _really_ be happy if Minion would give us an update already. Anyway, I'm happy that you found someone special. I wish that could happen to me."

"It will, sis."

"I doubt it. I'm not as lucky as you. I mean first Metro Man, then Blue Boy and then Titan! Seriously, what is with you and super guys?"

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "Funny, but you're kind of right. Why is it always me? But trust me, it'll happen to you."

"Yeah, even if it does, how am I supposed to know which guy is right for me?"

"You just know."

"Will there be some big flashy sign pointing to him? Will he glow from all around? Or maybe I'll hear music in my head the minute I see him."

At that moment, Minion came through the bedroom door, wearing a stethoscope and latex gloves. Both women stood up.

"How is he?" Roxanne pleaded.

The fish sighed and looked at them with sad eyes. "I've tried everything I could, but…"

Rachel gasped. "Minion, no!"

"I'm afraid he's…he's…" His sobs then turned into chuckles. "Psych! He's gonna make it! He had a few broken ribs, fractured leg and a nasty blow to the head, but he heals faster than humans. He should fully recover in a few days."

The reporter flung her arms around him. "Thanks, Minion!"

Rachel was surprised when she felt jealous at seeing her sister hug Minion. _Where on Earth did THAT come from?_ As his eyes met hers, she could have sworn she heard a song play. She recognized it as "I've Got a Crush on You," one of her favorites. _Does this mean…?_

Roxanne glanced around the Lair. "Where is that music coming from?"

Minion darted his eyes at the stereo where one of the Brainbots was floating.

"How many times have I told you guys not to bump into things?" He went over and switched the music off. "They're always fooling around."

Rachel sighed. _Phew, that would have been crazy!_

"Minion," Roxanne asked, "may I see him now?"

The fish nodded. "You can, but he's asleep now. I had to put him under. I also gave him some pain relief, so he'll be a little groggy when he wakes up."

The woman excitedly walked into the bedroom, leaving Minion and Rachel alone.

"This really means a lot for her, you know?" said Rachel.

"Well," the fish shrugged, pulling off his gloves, "if he was my best friend, I would have done it anyway. Oh wait, he is!"

She giggled. "Do you have any idea how amazing you are?"

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"I'm serious! You're a fish, yet you're also a clothes designer, cook _and_ a doctor! And don't get me started on what you've done today! You were so brave!"

Minion grinned. "You think _I_ was brave, what about you? You have no powers or special abilities at all, yet you went in there, kicked Casey Capulet's butt and drained Titan of his powers! No regular human would _ever_ risk their lives like that!"

"Hey, those jerks kidnapped my sister! Plus, they nearly killed you!" She bit her lip. "And Megamind, of course."

"But the way you fought Casey…I knew you were tough, but wow!"

"Well, she'll think _twice_ before messing with the Ritchi family again!"

"Wish I had learned that before you shook my bowl with the Forget-Me-Stick."

They both laughed and collapsed on the couch.

"Look at us!" Rachel exclaimed. "This morning, we were clawing at each other's throats and now we're laughing!"

"Beyond weird, huh?"

After a few more giggles, they descended into an awkward silence.

"Hey," Rachel said. "When everything is settled between Megamind and Roxanne, what happens then?"

"I don't know," the fish admitted. "Metro Man said he'd be working to get sir pardoned, but I'm not sure what we'll be doing for the rest of our lives. We've always been villains. Well, I guess sir will be spending a lot of time with your sister."

"What about you?"

He shrugged. "I'd do what I've always done: look after sir. However, I guess he won't need it much if he ever takes the final step with Roxanne."

"You're a fish of multiple talents. Can't you like open a dress shop or restaurant or something?"

"That sounds nice, but…I don't know, kind of lonely. What about you? What will you be doing when this thing blows over?"

Rachel hadn't thought about that. Before this whole mess, her life had been dull. All she did was wait tables and pray that the man of her dreams would walk right through the door. Since she met Minion and Roxanne met Megamind, everything had been like a big motion picture event. Now that her sister and Megamind might be sharing their lives together, where would she fit in?

"You know what I think?" Minion said. "I think you should pursue your dream and become a fashion designer."

She looked up at him. "You really think I could do it?"

"I think you can do anything."

For a long time, she did nothing but stare into those adorable brown eyes. Suddenly, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand were back in the air.

"Ugh," she grunted. "Could you tell those Brainbots to turn that stereo off?"

Minion blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"The stereo, turn it off! It's _really_ getting on my nerves here!"

"The stereo's not on."

She glanced back at the machine. It appeared undisturbed, but she could still hear the music.

"But," she stammered. "Where is that music coming from?"

"What music?"

"You know, Sinatra and Streisand singing…"

Then she locked gaze with Minion again and the song grew louder. The words brought back the memories of their meetings and how good the fish made her feel. Her dreams of fashion suddenly didn't seem so important anymore, nor did the idea of how her mother would react if she knew what she was thinking.

"Are you okay?" Minion asked.

Rachel shook the music out of her head. "Yeah, I'm…perfect."

"Well, I knew _that_. I mean…"

She giggled as she slid her hand into his metal one. "You're so sweet, Minion."

Minion glanced down at their hands. "Uh oh."

"What?"

"Now _I'm_ hearing the music."

* * *

><p>When Minion came in later that night, Megamind was still unconscious in bed. Roxanne sat asleep in the chair beside him, her hand clutching his. The fish grabbed a blanket and lay it on top of her. He returned to the living room and found Rachel had also fallen asleep, only on the couch. He found another blanket for her and decided to power down.<p>

When morning came, Roxanne woke to the pressure of fingers on her hand. Her eyes shot open as Megamind groaned softly.

His vision was blurry and all he could see was the outline of Roxanne. With light streaming through the window against her silhouette, she looked like an angel. Finally, his eyes fluttered open and the image was clear.

"Roxanne?"

She smiled brightly as tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks.

"Are we," he stammered, "in heaven?"

She shook her head. "No."

He attempted to sit up. "We're in the other place, then? I can understand why I would be here, but you?"

She laughed. "You're not dead! Thank goodness for that!"

As Roxanne tackled him in an embrace, Megamind let out a yelp of pain. She backed away.

"Sorry."

"What happened?" he asked. "Why does everything hurt? Wait. Titan… Did we win?"

"Yes, we did. Thanks to you."

Roxanne relayed everything that had occurred since he was knocked out. Megamind listened intently, disbelief all over his face.

"You mean to tell me that Metro Man," he said, "actually stood up for me?"

"I know," Roxanne giggled. "Crazy day, right? Hal turns into a crazed monster, my old high school friend becomes a murderous sociopath, and not only did the hero fake his death, but he defended his arch nemesis. Next thing you know, the bad guy will save the day and get the girl."

He laughed along with her. "Or even better, Minion and Rachel will be falling in love!"

The woman stopped. "You really think that's possible?"

"Why not?"

She shrugged, but then her eyes became serious as she cupped his face in her hand.

"I thought I lost you today."

Megamind put his hand to hers. "I thought I'd lost _you_. I thought you had left me."

Roxanne leaned closer. "I'm not going anywhere."

Then she kissed him and suddenly, Megamind didn't feel any more pain.

"You nearly died saving my life," she whispered.

"Of course," he replied. "I've been searching all my life for someone like you. Now that I've finally found you, I can't imagine a life without you."

That earned him another kiss.

* * *

><p>It took three days for Megamind to recover enough to get out of bed. Thanks to Metro Man, he had been granted a full pardon, so long as he agreed to help protect the city. Hal Stewart was given ten years, while Casey Capulet took the plea in trial and was given an easy sentence of five. Plus, she had a certain super hero hire a lawyer. Roxanne had gotten her job back, granted she do a story on her boyfriend's reformation.<p>

Now Megamind was in the backseat of the invisible car with Roxanne, Minion at the wheel and Rachel riding shotgun. The vehicle pulled to a stop in front of the Ritchi sisters' apartment.

"Well," the fish announced, "we're here!"

There was no answer from the backseat.

"Sir?"

In the rearview mirror, he saw his friend's arms wrapped around Roxanne, their lips locked tightly. They barely even noticed there was anyone else there.

"No use, Minion," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "They'll be like that for hours."

"I guess we'll have to go up without them," Minion sighed. "You can prepare your mother for the shock."

"Why do _I_ have to tell her?"

"Would you rather _I_ explain why her daughter's dating an alien and was kidnapped by a psycho?"

"You have a point, but she _never_ listens to me! Then again, Roxanne wouldn't get a word in, because Mom would be too busy yelling at her."

"Don't worry. We'll tell her together."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He took her hand. "I'll make sure she listens to you."

If the glass hadn't been in the way, Rachel almost felt like leaning forward. Then the couple turned when they heard laughter from the backseat.

"Looks like we're not the only lovebirds in here," Roxanne snickered.

"Rachel and Minion sitting in a tree," Megamind taunted. "K-I-S-S-I…"

"Knock it off, you two!" Minion exclaimed, blushing. "Are you coming up, or what?"

Megamind looked down at his feet. "You go on. We'll…be with you in a moment."

"Fine," Rachel sighed, stepping out of the car with Minion.

Once they were out of their hearing, the fish whispered to her. "Just to be clear, do you…?"

Rachel nodded. "Yep."

He blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Why not? I mean look at those two." She pointed back to the invisible car.

"So, does that mean…?"

"What do you think?"

She grabbed his metal hand and the fish grinned sheepishly.

"If the news about your sister and Megamind don't give your mother a heart attack, I'm sure _this_ certainly would."

Back inside the car, Megamind broke the long silence between him and Roxanne.

"Do we have to tell your mother _everything_?"

"After all those news reports, she deserves an explanation."

"But what if she doesn't like me?"

"Whether she likes you or not, that won't change how I feel about you."

"But what if she…I don't know, kills me or something?"

She took his hand. "I won't let that happen."

The sat there for a while, Megamind growing more and more nervous ever second. Finally, Roxanne decided it was time.

"You ready?"

He took a deep breath and nodded.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Rachel and Minion had explained the whole story to Roberta Ritchi, who was sitting on the couch, listening.<p>

"Now the bad guys are in jail and Blue Boy's been pardoned," Rachel concluded. "See? I told you it was a funny story, but it's romantic. It's like a _Romeo and Juliet_, _West Side Story_ thing." She paused. "Wait. Does that make me the old nurse?"

Minion nudged her. "You're not an old nurse."

"Aw, thanks, sweetie."

She looked at her mother in panic. They were supposed to save that detail for later! How was she going to react now? But the woman was silent.

"Mom? Are you okay? You haven't said anything since we got here."

Roberta glanced between the two and then breathed. "So Roxanne and Megamind are…"

"Very much in love," Rachel nodded.

"And you two…"

Minion blushed, but then took his new girlfriend's hand and said, "Like each other."

"A lot," Rachel finished. "Look, I know our choice of boyfriends is not what you expect, but you got to give them a chance. Roxanne would be dead, if Blue Boy hadn't saved her. And Minion here, he's not so bad, once you get to know him."

Roberta remained still, trying to take this information in. Then she sighed.

"I couldn't have dull, boring, normal daughters like everybody else, could I?"

There was a knock at the door.

"That's probably them," Rachel said.

Her mother got up to answer the door. Standing there was her elder daughter. Roberta was about to say something when a blue head peeked around her shoulder. The couple entered the room. Roxanne held her chest out defiantly while Megamind looked like he was about to faint.

"Mom," she said. "I would like you to officially meet my boyfriend, Romeo Megablue."

The alien gulped and did a small wave. "Hi."

Roberta stared down at their hands desperately clutching one another.

"I can't say it's what I want," she said, looking up at them, "but if this…fine young man is responsible for the light in your eyes, then what can I do to stop you?"

She surprised everyone by flinging her arms around Megamind.

"Thank you," she whispered, "for saving my daughter's life."

Then she looked at her daughters and hugged them both.

"I've pushed you girls too hard," she sobbed. "I thought I was doing what was best for you, but I see that you've found happiness on your own. Can you girls ever forgive me?"

"Of course, Mom," Roxanne assured her.

"What kind of people would we be if we didn't?" Rachel giggled. Then she pulled away from the group hug and spoke to everyone, "I don't know about you guys, but I like this ending much better."

* * *

><p><strong>As if I would be cruel enough to kill Megamind! Got you guys, didn't I? This is how <em>Romeo and Juliet<em> SHOULD have ended!**


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